Death of a Playwright: Legend Arthur Miller Dies Aged 89

Arthur Miller, a giant of American drama for over 60 years, is dead. According to reports, the 89-year-old playwright passed away at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut. He had been suffering from cancer, pneumonia and a heart condition.

The son of Polish-Jewish immigrants, Miller's comfortable middle-class New York childhood was shattered when his father lost his fortune during the Great Depression. The experience would later form the basis of his breakthrough play, 1949's Death of a Salesman, a savage assault on the American dream.

Other classic Miller plays include All My Sons, The Crucible and View From a Bridge. He also wrote a novel, Focus, and an acclaimed autobiography Timebends.

A leading light of the left-wing theatre scene, Miller was called to testify in front of Joe McCarthy's House of Un-American Activities Commission in 1956, where he refused to name the names of his friends with communist sympathies. While his play The Crucible was nominally set in 17th-century Massachusetts, most viewers correctly identified it as a criticism of the McCarthy witchunts.

In the eyes of many, however, Miller will be best remembered for his marriage to Marilyn Monroe. The couple - nicknamed the hourglass and the egg-head by the US press - wed in 1956 but the marriage fell apart on the set of the film The Misfits in 1961, which he scripted. The writer later explored their turbulent relationship in his 1962 play After the Fall, and in his last play, Finishing the Picture (2004), he turned back the clock to explore the making of the troubled movie.

The Reinvention of Romeo and Juliet

A whimsical reinvention of Shakespeare’s tragic love story, complete with rhymed limerick, creative word-play and fantastical farces.

Cast of Characters
NARRATOR #1…….PAULINE MUJAR
NARRATOR #2 ….....ANAROSE ESMILLA
PROLOGUE.……..MARTHA DOROTHY PANELO
SAMPSON ………..CHELO PAVERICIO
GREGORIA ………MARY GRACE DE VELA
ABRAM ……….EDWIN DELA CRUZ
BALTHASAR …......MARTIN BALLON
CAPITULATE (LORD) ……..JEMUEL RAMIREZ
LADY CAPITULATE ………STACY KATE ZABALLA
MONOTONE (LORD) ……….IAN PEREA
LADY MONOTONE ………CYRENE SALE
THE PRINCESS ……….MA. ISABEL LANUZO
ROMEO ………JESSE RAYMOND AYCARDO
BENVOLIA …….. MA. KATRINA MAYOR
MERCUTIO ………KEVIN MANALO
PARIS ……….MARTIN BALLON
SERVANT OF CAPITULATE ……….MA. CHRISTINA LUCES
NURSE ………. MARY JOY RESARI
JULIET ………MA. LORIANNE DOMOPOY
TYBALT ……...CHRISTIAN KAY MAGDAONG
MONK LARRY ……..SCHMITT YANZON

Setting- An empty stage.

The Reinvention of Romeo and Juliet
Remake by: Stacy Zaballa

(The two NARRATORS enter the playing area. They dress and behave similarly.)

NARRATOR #1. Dear Ladies and Men folk!
NARRATOR #2. Women and Gents!
NARRATOR #1. You’re people of culture and true common sense.
NARRATOR #2. You know what you know, and you like what you like.
NARRATOR #1. Like singing a song, or riding a bike.
NARRATOR #2. A long masterpiece!
NARRATOR #1. It’s the greatest!
NARRATOR #2. You bet!
NARRATOR #1. And topping the list…
BOTH. Romeo and Juliet!
NARRATOR #2. It’s Shakespeare’s great classic.
BOTH. And writing that stuff is tough.
NARRATOR #2. Sublime in its span, no thing is more artful.
NARRATOR #1. It deserves honors and applauds by the audience.
NARRATOR #2. The play is just perfect for you and us
NARRATOR #1. Naught is wrong unless you understand
BOTH. (Glancing at each other and then to the audience) Understand?
NARRATOR #2. The play’s still great, so we need not repeat it.
NARRATOR #1. But, you need to be Albert Einstein just to read it.
NARRATOR #2. Now, don’t be mistaken, we love William Shakespeare.
NARRATOR #1. But, in this new century he’s not very clear.
NARRATOR #2. Yet, only in admiration, to him our great hero, Do we pull "The Bards" back to our level, zero.
NARRATOR #1. We’ve shortened the play and changed some names but made it rhyme still. And shaky will like it still.
NARRATOR #2. A rhyming tetrameter is brought quite useful,
NARRATOR #1. But, could it make the play sound a bit Dr. Seussful?
NARRATOR #2. …And what’s wrong with that? Why, as sure as we’re standin’- Seuss is good too, and most folks understand him.
NARRATOR #2. A prologue is given to the top of the play.
NARRATOR #1. A paragraph giving the whole plot away.
NARRATOR #2. It must be important; there must be a reason- for Shaky to put it there.
NARRATOR #1. Our Prologue’s addressed…

(From offstage, suspended by a long stick, a dress on a hanger appears. Being misunderstood, and annoyed, NARRATOR #2 reiterates/calls again.)

-Addressed!

(The dress is pulled out of sight and the character of the PROLOGUE makes a leaping entrance.)

-Our Prologue’s addressed, so let’s watch and see…

NARRATOR #1. This lamentable,
NARRATOR #2. Horrible!
NARRATOR #1. Gross, comedy.
(NARRATOR #2 nudges NARRATOR #1, who then realizes her mistake.)
-(Oh!) Tragedy.

(The PROLOGUE crosses the playing area and continues her speech to one side, because there will be action taking place behind her.)

PROLOGUE. Verona’s the place from where our play is picked. Two families lived there, and man, they were ticked/instant.

(Two distinct/seperate groups of players materialize behind the PROLOGUE, representing the two feuding houses of CAPITULATE and MONOTONE. Both groups stand there, perhaps in fighting stance/posture, looking "ticked.")

PROLOGUE. Their ancient grudge match happened before our story, so long long ago I cannot recall. And rekindle/revived hatred made their feud more gory.

(The two families growl at one another, or generally show their hatred, still in the frozen fighting stance.)

Straight from the mouths of my ancestors too, I do get their story.

(LADY CAPITULATE and LADY MONOTONE, both visibly pregnant, walk into their respective family huddles, which conceal /hide them. However, Lord Monotone throws a rock into Lord Capitulate’s direction that angered his wife, Lady Capitulate. Lady Capitulate begins to attack the Monotones but Lady Monotone came rushing to her too. They fight until their big tummies went OUCH. They were hurried to the nearest Hospital. )

(A curtain separated both of them as they give birth. Their respective husbands accompanied them- looking worried. Then kid one and two popped out.)

(Lady Capitulate’s baby was a baby girl and she named her Juliet. Juliet is sucking on a bottle. While Lady Monotone’s baby was, a baby boy and she named him Romeo. Romeo sucks on a pacifier.)

(Then Lady C. and Lady M. will leave both Romeo and Juliet alone. The two babies will see each other, will blush, and will exchange their bottle and pacifier. One or two persons will hold their thoughts in a piece of paper saying:

(-ROMEO; "I like you. You’re cute." JULIET; "I know. You’re cute too.")

(Then the two mothers will enter again without their hubbies and will grab her respective child. They sneer to each other.)

PROLOGUE. (Goes to center stage)
As a result of their parental strife, their families to fighting and feuding were fettered/tied. But somehow, the two lovebirds met each other ever since.

(PROLOGUE exits. NARRATOR #1 enters carrying an odd musical instrument.)

(NARRATOR #1 enters as a boxing announcer. A microphone drops from the ceiling. She speaks into it.)

NARRATOR #1. In this corner, here are Sampson and Gregory, from the house of Capitulate; they were born ang-o-ry. And representing the house of Lord Monotone, Abram and Balthasar—a tenor…

ABRAM. (High voice :) Hi!
NARRATOR #1. (To Bathasar)…And baritone.
BALTHASAR. (Low voice :) Hi!

(A bell rings and the match starts. A seemingly boxing match)

ABRAM. I won’t let you win, you heck!
SAMPSON. And me too you buff!
BALTHASAR. I will rock your world!
GREGORIA. Then what are you waitin’ for? Fight in!

(They fight in slow motion as NARRATOR #2 enters and speaks.)

NARRATOR #2. A giant brawl started, you wouldn’t believe it,
(CAPITULATE and MONOTONE came to see it.)
CAPITULATE (LORD). I have with me my long sword, the one that cuts deep. While I’m preparing, I’ll yell—"Monotone, you’re a creep!"
MONOTONE (LORD). (In a monotone voice :) You villain Capitulate! I’m more than the man and you’re the creepiest, creep in the land!
CAPITULATE (LORD). (To Lady Capitulate:) Hmmm. The creepiest
creep. Does he have a point there?
LADY CAPITULATE. He’s lying my love you must never surrender.

(Enter NARRATOR #1.)
NARRATOR #1. Enter the princess, royal and wise,

(The PRINCESS enters. All fighting stops and all eyes are on His Majesty.)
She’s had about all she can take from these guys. A crusader for peace, she stops the fight, And everyone listens, ’coz they know she’s right. She pauses and makes the most eloquent speech.
THE PRINCESS. Will you jerks knock it off? I’ve been trying to sleep.
NARRATOR #1. Upon hearing the princess’ great message of virtue, the crowd all dispersed, it was almost past curfew. Only Lord and Mrs. Monotone stayed.
MONOTONE. Where’s our Romeo? I’ve not seen him all day. Why won’t he fight in the brawlslike the others?
LADY MONOTONE. He spends his time day dreaming, why should we bother?
(ROMEO enters. He’s pathetic. His parents watch him speak.)
ROMEO. Show me a mistress that is passing fair, Where I may read who passed that passing fair. She is too fair, too wisely too fair. It must be unfair to be passed at the fair. ’Coz fairs, they don’t care whose passing them rarely. Even the fair will pass rarely but barely. My love is fair, stripped bare, and cooked rare, But, fair cupid steals my bliss, so I despair.

(Romeo’s parents exit shaking their heads as if to say, "Where did we go wrong?" ROMEO exits in the other direction.)

NARRATOR #1. That was young Romeo, kid number one but as we can see, he’s not having much fun.

(She holds up a bottle labeled "Sneezle Fruit Juice.")
Perhaps he could use some red Sneezle Fruit Juice.That’s the best juice when your mind’s on the loose.It’s guaranteed for ten thousand—six uses.
(NARRATOR #1 exits. NARRATOR #2 enters.)
NARRATOR #2. Meanwhile at the Capitulate place, There’s a suitor for Julie and he’s with her dad.

(Enter CAPITULATE, PARIS, and SERVANT OF CAPITULATE. NARRATOR #1 exits.)

PARIS. Capitulate! I am the man for your daughter.
CAPITULATE. I don’t think you’ll do.
PARIS. But who could be hotter? Besides me who’s like prince charming?
CAPITULATE. (To the SERVANT:) Does he have a point there?

(The SERVANT nods Lord Capitulate will look unbelievable..)

(To the SERVANT:)
Young man go and get All of these people whose names I have writ.
(CAPITULATE hands an invitation list to the servant and then exits with his arm around PARIS.)

SERVANT OF CAPITULATE. Before I can find all the people and greet ’em, I need to find help from someone who can read ’em.

(Enter ROMEO and BENVOLIA. ROMEO is chanting his same pathetic litany. BENVOLIA is annoyed by it.)

ROMEO. …’coz fairs, they don’t care whose passing them rarely. Even the fair will pass rarely but barely. My love is fair, stripped bare, and cooked rare, BOTH. But, fair cupid steals my bliss, so I despair.
BENVOLIA. Romeo, I know your heart has been broken, Because on this matter you’ve endlessly spoken. And I’ve tried my best to be philanthropic, But, cousin, I think you’ve exhausted the topic. This tether to sadness I think you must cut, Or, if you don’t will you please just shut up?
ROMEO. Benvolia, it is so rare to forbear…
BENVOLIA. (Interrupting him:/to servant) Hey buddy! What’s up? Can we help you there?
SERVANT OF CAPITULATE. Sure enough, if there is help then I need it, ’coz I‘ve got this list here, and I just can’t read it. To find a strong reader is what I’ve been hoping…
ROMEO. (Taking the list:) I’ll read it to you, it will keep me from moping.
(He reads:) These folks can come to Capitulate’s party:
Smarty Martino and his boy named Arty,Bronco Buck Billy, and Buck Billy Buff,And Lady McDinky, McDucky, McDuff,John Jimmy Jack Jamerson, from Katmandu,Mercutio and Winnifred Winnie Waters,Old Uncle Perk and his ninety-six daughters, Dave from Topeka, and Lady Von Rybald,Rosaline, Valentine, Livia, Tybalt,Anyone named Gordie or Tim or Melissa,Can come to this bash, if you can’t then we’ll miss yah.

(Finished reading, he says to SERVANT:) This party sounds great.

BENVOLIA. Like the best of the best.
SERVANT OF CAPITULATE. If you’re not a Monotone, come be our guest.
(The SERVANT exits.)
BENVOLIA. Romeo, we’ve got to go crash this wingding/party. There’s sure to be beauties to make you even sing.
ROMEO. This party will never cure my broken heart but, I’ll go along with you to take your part.

(ROMEO and BENVOLIA exit. Enter NARRATOR #1.)

NARRATOR #1. Meanwhile, back at the Capitulate place- We shall meet Juliet full of splendorand grace.
(Enter JULIET. She’s asleep. LADY CAPITULATE and NURSE enter from other side of playing area. NARRATOR #1 exits.)
LADY CAPITULATE. Nurse where is Juliet? Now where could she be? I want my daughter, so lead her to me.
NURSE. Oh, little plum dumplin’, oh, sweet puddin’ pie. Where’s my fragrant blossom—come out don’t be shy. Oh little love kitten, thou sweet kitty kitty Answer my call and quit hiding, you emokitten!
JULIET. (From the floor:) How now? Who calls?
NURSE. (Helping her up:)Get up off the floor! It’s your Mother, she’s waiting just outside your door.
JULIET. (A bit bewildered from the fall:) Mom?
LADY CAPITULATE. Yes! It’s I. I’m your own dearest Mother. I’ve been called the same by your sisters and brother. I meant to say that when I said, That I am your Mother, One-hundred percent.
JULIET. I suppose this is a moment I’ll cherish.
LADY CAPITULATE. Juliet, you are to marry young Paris.
JULIET. I’m not yet 18. Is there some space for doubt?
LADY CAPITULATE. I married young, and look how I turned out.
(LADY CAPITULATE strikes some sort of cheerleader or beauty pageant pose. JULIET is disgusted.)
NURSE. He is so handsome. He’s a man of wax.
LADY CAPITULATE. Here is his picture. He sent us a FAX.

(Hands JULIET the fax picture. It isn’t flattering.)

We’re having a party, and there you can meet him.
NURSE. He’s so delicious, you’ll just want to eat him.
(They exit. NARRATOR #1 and NARRATOR #2 enter.)
NARRATOR #2. On their way to the party Benvolia and Romeo, Meet up with their friend & Zip Zip Shabang, also known as Mercutio.
(Enter ROMEO, BENVOLIA, MERCUTIO. They are dressed for a costume party. ROMEO is wearing a visor.)
BENVOLIA. (To ROMEO:) Forget this girl who won’t return your affection. Dance with some others make a new selection.
MERCUTIO. Yes, gentle Romeo, we must see you dance.
ROMEO. My heart is too heavy. There isn’t a chance.
MERCUTIO. You love sick dreamer, your dreams aren’t all dreamt. Each man sees a new day and you’re not exempt.
(MERCUTIO pulls a flat cd from his pants)
It’s time to par-tay!
(He handed the cd to one of the servants. Punk music began to play. CAPITULATE (LORD) enters)
CAPITULATE. Good evening Gents—there’s plenty to eat, (Capitulate’s party members enter the playing area dancing to mellow party music playing softly. The ladies wearing high heels sandals. JULIET is in the party group.) And ladies who’ll dance despite their heels,All through the night to dance their feet.If I were a youngster you bet I’d be swaying Hey, wait! Could that be true?Do I have a point there? I certainly do.
(CAPITULATE continues—capitulating:)
Good evening Gents—there’s plenty to eat, And ladies who’ll dance despite the heels on their feet.
(JULIET and ROMEO are both downstage but on opposite sides of the stage. ROMEO notices JULIET.)
ROMEO. Ei-hotchee-mama, Growl, Whoo! Hubba-hubba! That girl is a babe or my name is dumb bubba.
(ROMEO pulls his visor down over his eyes to conceal his identity; he goes to JULIET and commences flirting. An alarm goes off. TYBALT rushes down stage from the party group.)
TYBALT. My Monotone alarm just gave the alert! I keep it hidden right under in my shirt. It detects Monotones. It’s never been wrong. And this one is foolin’ where he don’t belong. This brazen young trespasser needs to be beaten.
CAPITULATE. Dear nephew Tybalt what’s wrong with you?
TYBALT. (Points:) Uncle your house has a monotone there.
CAPITULATE. Leave him alone.
(ROMEO takes his visor off for a second and runs his fingers through his hair.)
Wow! Does he have nice hair!
TYBALT. But uncle, that’s Romeo, Monotone’s son!
CAPITULATE. Lighten up boy I’m not done having fun. I know not to kill him, I know when to Besides let’s look on the bright side, there’s always the morrow.
(CAPITULATE goes back and dances again. TYBALT falls back and watches ROMEO like a hawk. ROMEO grabs JULIET’s hand and brings her to the center of the playing area.)
ROMEO. Please, don’t think I’m advance, but I think you’re hot!
JULIET. (Aside:) I can’t see his face is it worth it or not?
(ROMEO lifts his visor.)
ROMEO. I have twelve billion, sixty-two million and sixty, Hormones and all of them want you to kiss me.
JULIET. Hey, you’re kind of cute, okay, here, hold my gum first. It’s raspberry, lima bean, sneezle fruit, bratwurst.
(They kiss.)
ROMEO. Wow! Hey, you’re right, that is good tasting gum.
NURSE. Your mother would like a few words with you, hon.
(NURSE grabs JULIET by the arm and sends her back to LADY CAPITULATE who is standing with PARIS. ROMEO pops Juliet’s gum in his mouth.)
ROMEO. Who is her Mom, if I may be so bold? Quickly, please tell me before I get old.
NURSE. Her Dad is the host, who bought the main course dish you ate. Her Mother’s no other than Lady Capitulate. Juliet is her name and she is the fairest. But don’t get ideas. She’s marrying Paris.
ROMEO. She’s a Capitulate what rotten luck!
BENVOLIA. (Emerging from the party:) Romy, we’re outta here, this gig is up! We mustn’t stay here, we have to go home-e-o.
JULIET. (To the NURSE:) What is his name?
ROMEO. (With a dashing pose:) There are those who call me Romeo!
(Everybody exits. NARRATOR #1 enters.)
NARRATOR #1. Needless to say Romy’s heart-ache was done. He met a new girl and she had good gum. All of the guests from the banquet had parted, But not Romeo, he was just getting started.
(ROMEO runs on.)
ROMEO. How can I leave here when she holds my heart? My importance’s, blood-pumping, chest body part.
(ROMEO dashes to the back of the curtain and stands as if to hide. Enter BENVOLIA and MERCUTIO.)
BENVOLIA. Yo, Romeo yo! Where did you go?
MERCUTIO. He went home to bed, that’s where I’m gonna go.
BENVOLIA. But, I saw him running back toward the feast.
MERCUTIO. Well that can’t be right, ’coz his bed is due East.
BENVOLIO. I’m telling you he didn’t go home to bed.
MERCUTIO. My friend, no offense, but you need a new head.
(They exit. JULIET enters close to her window and underside it, a ladder. She is contemplating.)
ROMEO. Coming back to this place may seem capricious, But, I just can’t help myself, she’s gorge-o-licious.
JULIET. (whispering gracefully into the night.) Oh, Romeo mah baby-o Wherefore art thou, Oh Romeo? I just can’t get enough. Forsake your name, or else I’ll forsake mine, But, if I forsake mine there’s a ten-dollar fine. My tap dancing lessons will prob-ly get cancelled, No more T.V., root beer floats, no more Seinfeld. I might get grounded for three or more hours, So, if there’s a heart to love let’s make it yours.
ROMEO. (On one knee below the ladder:)
She speaks to herself through her self-speaking self. No thing is more useful to speak secret stuff. It makes it all louder so others can know too. Oh, Juliet, my Juliet, you’re a pearl of great price. You’re like two pearls only much, much, more nice.
JULIET. (looking down to her window) Who is that? Yo! Romeo, Is that you?
ROMEO. Yes, it is I-your Romeo, that is true. I heard your completely self-speaking speech, and though it’s silly I don’t ever care. And I love you, my love, just as sure as you’re born.
JULIET. Let’s find the preacher!
ROMEO. Let’s get attach tomorrow. Enough of this fighting…
JULIET. …This feuding…
BOTH. This Sorrow.
ROMEO. Kiss me once more and send my lips to heaven!
JULIET. I can’t anymore tonight, It’s past eleven.
ROMEO. (Scratching his head:) Well it couldn’t hurt more if we kissed tonight. Just as the moon shines up above and when the sun lights the morn, we shall elope.
(They kiss .Romeo run away blowing kisses to his Juliet. Enter NARRATOR #2. Enter MONK LARRY on the opposite side of the playing area.)
NARRATOR #2. So Romeo ran to the home of Monk Larry, Not monkey Larry…he’s not quite that hairy, He’s just a monk, he’s the monkiest one That Romeo knew and could get the job done.
(Enter ROMEO.)
ROMEO. Oh good! Monk Larry! I’m glad that you’re here.
MONK LARRY. (In a Bronx accent:) Where else would I be? I’ve not left here in years. You sure are chipper. Last time I saw you, You were blubbering, moping, and singing the blues.
ROMEO. That was the old me. I’m new and improved. I’m a hip-hoppin’, happenin’, cool, righteous dude!
MONK LARRY. How can I help you, my dude filled with glee?
(ROMEO grabs MONK LARRY’s hand and gets down on one knee.)
ROMEO. I need your consent, Monk. Will you marry me?
MONK LARRY. (Grabbing him by the throat :) Listen punk! I am a monk, don’t you get it? I live all alone and I’m doing a custom.
ROMEO. (Choking:) No, No! I meant to say, there’s a girl that I’ve met as of late, Though she ‘s the daughter of Capitulate but our love is true.
MONK LARRY. Are you sure?
ROMEO. Yes indeed. One-Hundred and Ninety percent guaranteed.
MONK LARRY. (Aside to the audience:) If I marry the girl to this Monotone dude-ling, It may end the war, all this troublesome feud-ling.
(To ROMEO:) Okay, my young pup; I’ll tie your knot, But, if you’re eloping, then you’ll need a plot.
(MONK LARRY puts his arm around ROMEO and they exit. Enter MERCUTIO and BENVOLIA.)
MERCUTIO. So, Romeo never came home late last night?
BENVOLIA. He never came home and he’s still out of sight. Now, Tybalt the nephew of Capitulate, challenges him to a bumballoon fight.
MERCUTIO. A bumballoon fight? That’s the worst! That would mean curtains for poor Romeo. Tybalt’s the best bumballoonist around, I’ve seen him bumballoon twenty men down. I can hold my own at true bumballooning, But, lovesick young Romy’s been too busy crooning.
BENVOLIA. Here he comes now! Hey Romy, what’s up? You didn’t go back to the place where you live.
(ROMEO enters.)
ROMEO. There’s an optometrist whose name is Cupid, He’s opened my eyes, and made me less stupid. I met a new girl, she’s the best of the best. She passed that Romeo "hot mama" test.

(Romeo’s friends chime in with masculine banter.)

MERCUTIO. Heeeey, well okay, well okay hey, I say…
BENVOLIA. Heeeeeey!
ROMEO. Yippy-Yeeeea!
MERCUTIO. Yippy, okay ei-yeeea!
(Enter NURSE.)
NURSE. Has anyone seen Romeo Monotone? I need to see him before I go home.
(Romeo’s friends think that the Nurse is Romeo’s new girlfriend.)
MERCUTIO. (Winking and nudging ROMEO:) Hey there! Not bad, she’s a fine catch old son.
BENVOLIA. I guess I was picturing someone more young.
MERCUTIO. (Love-stricken by the nurse:) Wow! She’s a babe alright, look at those curls.
ROMEO. What! Are you mental? That’s not the new girl.
(MERCUTIO is dumbfounded.)
NURSE. (To ROMEO:) Juliet, my mistress inquires about you, But, I think she’s missing a half-dozen screws. As her nurse, I must ask, what makes you so great? Why do you deserve Miss Capitulate?
ROMEO. I make a great milkshake; all my friends say so,
NURSE. That’s good enough for me, so where could we meet you?
ROMEO. We’ll meet at Monk Larry’s place later today. He’ll marry us there, and then we’ll say "hurray!"
NURSE. I love small weddings. What could be humbler?
(The NURSE exits.)
MERCUTIO. (Following the nurse:) Excuse me there Miss, can I get your number please?
(BENVOLIA and ROMEO exit—looking puzzled by MERCUTIO. NARRATOR #1 enters. ROMEO reenters with MONK LARRY.)
NARRATOR #1. So Romeo went back to Monk Larry’s house. Not a creature was stirring, not even…
ROMEO. (Screaming in horror:) A Mouse!
(MONK LARRY is holding a stuffed pet rodent.)
MONK LARRY. It ain’t a mouse it’s my pet dodrent helper.
(MONK LARRY raises his arms and sniff.)
He always eat clean, my stinky, bad habit.
ROMEO. I’m just so nervous my stomach’s a wreck. Where could they be?
MONK LARRY. Just a sec. I’ll go check.
(MONK LARRY exits.)
ROMEO. I do not like his stinky clothes, I do not like his stinky place, I do not like them near or far, I do not like them in a car, I do not like them in a tunnel, I could not push them through a funnel, I only love the girl I met, Juliet.

(JULIET and NURSE enter.)

Here she comes. Hey Juliet!
JULIET. I’m sorry that we are late in getting here. I had to use eight cans of spray in my hair.
NURSE. So, don’t light a match!
ROMEO. No, I won’t. I vow.
JULIET. So, where is the monk?
ROMEO. Aw! For crying out loud.
NURSE. I’ll go and find him. I think I know where. He’ll be back in a jiffy, so never despair.
(NURSE exits. MONK LARRY returns.)
MONK LARRY. Well I couldn’t find Juliet anywhere. Hey! This girl looks good, how ’bout marry her.
ROMEO. This is Juliet you knucklehead monk!
MONK LARRY. Settle down then, let’s get this started. Okay, kneel down, now lets make this quick, I gotta floss my rat, so he won’t stick. Both of you, make sure your rings are switched. You may now kiss the bride, I pronounce, you hitched.
NARRATOR #2. Romy and J were now happily married, They both yelled "hurray", and then off they scurried. But not all was happy in this neighborhood, Mercutio and Tybalt were up to no good. It happened that both came to a place, Where they stopped and they stood, nose to nose, face to face.
TYBALT. I am an East going Tybalt, I say, You’re blocking my path, you’re right in my way.
MERCUTIO. I am Mercutio, I always go west, So you’d better step aside if you know best.
TYBALT. Didn’t you hear the words from my mouth? I won’t budge and inch to the North or the South!
MERCUTIO. I challenge you then, to a bumballoon battle.
TYBALT. You think you can beat me? Ha! fiddle-faddle.
MERCUTIO. You want to bumballoon poor Romeo. Now, I won’t let you.
TYBALT. Yeah? So big deal, what’s it to yo?
(They fight with balloons roughly tied into the shapes of swords. ROMEO enters.)
ROMEO. Hold on there fellas! This isn’t the way. Tybalt, we’re practically kin, to you I’ll explain.
TYBALT. (Aside:) When I finish here, one more victim to go.
(Points at ROMEO:) His name starts with "R" and rhymes with Omeo.
ROMEO. Hey guys! Quit fighting, ’coz that’s just as bad,
(TYBALT deals the fatal blow to MERCUTIO, leaving his bumballoon weapon stuck in MERCUTIO’s chest—or under his arm.)
MERCUTIO. Ouch! Ay-Carumba! I’ve been bumballooned!
TYBALT. I am the victor of this lame buffoon.
ROMEO. Mercutio!
MERCUTIO. Romeo!
ROMEO. Friend, are you dying?
MERCUTIO. No, I’m feeling fine…and…I am lying.
(MERCUTIO lets out a blood-curdling scream.)
ROMEO. Let me pull this bumballoon from your breast.
MERCUTIO. Please, I’d prefer that you call it my chest.
ROMEO. (Trying to pull out the balloon:) Chest, breast, whatever, Yoiks! This thing won’t budge.
TYBALT. Prepare to die Romeo! I hold a grudge!
ROMEO. Sheesh! This fixed bumballoon’s really a pain.
(ROMEO finally pulls TYBALT’s balloon free. He stumbles backwards from the pull, and kills TYBALT with his own balloon weapon.)
TYBALT. With my own bumballoon, now I am slain!
(ROMEO is stunned that he just killed TYBALT.)
ROMEO. What in the world? Crap! How did this happen?
(TYBALT quickly wakes up from death to answer ROMEO.)
TYBALT. You caught me off guard. I was too busy yappin’/barking.
(TYBALT drops dead again.)
(BENVOLIA enters)
BENVOLIA. Romeo run! Or you’re a sitting duck!
ROMEO. Oh I’m fortune’s fool and the play thing of luck!
(ROMEO exits. The PRINCESS, the CAPITULATES and the MONOTONES enter.)
THE PRINCESS. What happened here? I’d like to explore. The reason there’s two dead guys here on the floor.
BENVOLIO. Tybalt here bumballooned good friend Mercutio. And then got his bell rung by poor, sweet, young Romeo.
(LADY CAPITULATE sees TYBALT’s dead body and rushes to him trying to administer CPR, while delivering her line.)
LADY CAPITULATE. Oh, Tybalt, my nephew.
(To the PRINCE:) My kinsman Tybalt lies dead on the floor. Romeo must die to even the score.
LADY MONOTONE. And look what you’ve done to our dear Mercutio? It’s sure good that Tybalt died too.
And no, I won’t let you ban our dear Romeo for he sure is not the nasty culprit!
THE PRINCESS. Easy there girly-girl! I call the shots. I am the princess here believe it or not. I’ll banish young Romeo from fair Verona, As soon as I finish this slice of bologna.
LADY MONOTONE. NO!

(Everyone exits. NARRATOR #1 enters. JULIET enters from the other side. She sits on a bed that is rolled into the playing area. This represents her bedroom.)
NARRATOR #1. Romeo has to go skip town or else, The prince might find out and put him on the shelf.
(She does the slit/cut throat gesture.)
We see here young Julie as she thinks and sits,
JULIET. I’m wife to a banished guy. Man! That’s the pits.
NARRATOR #1. Yeah, that’s not all, ’coz there’s more pits in store. Here come her parents, through her bedroom door.
(Enter LADY CAPITULATE and LORD CAPITULATE.)
LADY CAPITULATE. Since poor Tybalt’s death fills all our hearts with sorrow…
CAPITULATE. We’re bumping your wedding day up tomorrow.
(LADY CAPITULATE and LORD CAPITULATE exit. NARRATOR#1 exits.)
JULIET. This is the double most "pits" situation. I’m victim of my father’s capitulation. I can’t marry Paris, ’cuz I’ve got a husband. I’m sure that’s illegal except on Fuzz Island. I need to get help. If I don’t, then I’m sunk. This is a job for old Larry the Monk.
(MONK LARRY enters.)
JULIET. Monk Larry! You’ve entered my bedroom, but how?
(MONK LARRY pulls a script out of his habit and shows it to JULIET.)
MONK LARRY. Check the script Julie, it’s my bedroom now.
JULIET. Ooooh! Is that because this is the magic of theatre?
MONK LARRY. (Smiling tersely/abruptly :) Yes my child. (To audience:) She’s got less brains than a sea otter.
JULIET. Gentle Monk Larry, I need some assistance. My wedding’s tomorrow despite my resistance. To Romeo, you’ll recall, I am now wed. But, they’d have me wed Paris…
MONK LARRY. Not if you’re dead. Listen, I’ve got a plan, but it takes guts, And you must eat two of these death faking nuts.
(He holds up a jar labeled—"Death Faking Nuts.") These death faking nuts, they make you look dead. Paris can’t wed, if the bride’s dead in bed. That you are still living won’t be understood, You see this will only make a beauty sleep in bed They’ll all think you’re dead, ’coz these nuts work good. Then after the funeral, in a few days, You’ll wake up with Romeo, far, far, away.
JULIET. How’ll Romeo know that I’m not really croaked?
MONK LARRY. I’ll send him an email, I’ll tell him our joke. In your tomb, when the last walk’s been trod, Romeo will sneak in and collect your bode.
JULIET. I’ll take the nuts when evening has come.
MONK LARRY. And I’ll send an email to Romeo dot com.
(MONK LARRY and JULIET exit. We see ROMEO off to the one side fixing his computer. Enter NARRATORS.)
NARRATOR #2. The monk sent him email with details attached But Romeo missed it, ’coz his P.C. crashed. He’ll never know Juliet faking disaster.
ROMEO. Shucks! Now I can’t play "Double Snitch Blaster.
(ROMEO Exits.)
NARRATOR #1. Later that night Juliet eats the nuts.
(JULIET eats the nuts looking around and chewing obnoxiously/disagreeable. Then, very suddenly, she falls down as if dead in her bed.)
NARRATOR #2. Then in the morning, she wouldn’t wake up.
(The NURSE enters and screams. JULIET’S parents rush in to see what the matter is.)
CAPITULATE. What! What’s the matter! Is Juliet dead?
LADY CAPITULATE. Is her body cold, is there blood on her head?
CAPITULATE. Did you check her pulse? Did you give CPR?
(NURSE shakes her head.)
CAPITULATE. Then why did you scream? Tell me, what’s this about?
NURSE. My leg cramped up, I just got done working out.
(NURSE exits.)
LADY CAPITULATE. I’m so glad to hear Juliet isn’t dead. Juliet wake up it’s your lucky day.
(She nudges JULIET.)
CAPITULATE. Today is the day that we give you away.
(Nudges JULIET harder.)
LADY CAPITULATE. We give you to Paris today, your fiancé’.
(Nudges really hard.)
CAPITULATE. (Lifting her out of bed:) Up! Out of bed! Say, she’s stiff as a board.
LADY CAPITULATE. She’s awfully cold, maybe she froze in her dream.
CAPITULATE. Or, maybe she’s dead.
LADY CAPITULATE. It’s our turn to scream!
(CAPITULATE nods. They scream and exit carrying JULIET’S seemingly dead body. The bed rolls out of sight.)
NARRATOR #1. Meanwhile . . . back with Romeo’s hiding place,
NARRATOR #2. Benvolia found him there.
BENVOLIA. Romeo wake up, and hear what I say, Juliet’s dead and her funeral’s today.
(ROMEO, waking up; having a hard time remembering who Juliet is.)
ROMEO. (Scratching his head:) Juliet, Juliet that name draws a blank, Help me out here; does she work at the bank?
BENVOLIA. Juliet! She’s your own heart’s delight, You married her yesterday, she is your wife!
ROMEO. Oooooh! That Juliet. Yeah, that name rings a bell, Now what’s the message you wanted to tell?
BENVOLIA. Juliet’s dead!
ROMEO. Are you kidding me?
BENVOLIA. No!
ROMEO. How did she die?
BENVOLIA. Nobody knows.
ROMEO. It must have been her broken heart that went "Crack!" I’ll kiss her one last time. I must now go back! Then I’ll consume this authentic death poison.
(ROMEO holds up a potion.)
It’ll take me, quickly, out of the picture. Don’t try and stop me, it must be this way,
(BENVOLIA is obviously not trying to stop him.)
Without Juliet, I shan't see one more day. My ears are deaf to your protestations,
(BENVOLIA is not protesting.)
My mind is made up, to have life deprivation.
(BENVOLIA, annoyed at ROMEO’S overblown dramatics, exits. ROMEO continues.)
There’s nothing Benvolia that you can do, to keep me from dying, I will follow through.
(Realizing he’s alone, he coyly glances at the audience and blushes.)
Off to Verona I go with my life, to lay it before the corpse of my wife.
(ROMEO exits. JULIET’S body is rolled to center stage. Her parents and a host of mourners are around her.)
NARRATOR #1. The mourners took one last look at Julie’s body, and then somebody yelled…
VOICE FROM THE LOBBY. Hey! There’s snacks in the lobby.
(All of the mourners rush off stage. Leaving JULIET alone. ROMEO enters.)
ROMEO. Juliet, honey, to get here I ran. I tripped on a gravestone and fell on your tomb. I came here to give your lips just one more kiss, And then we’ll be together again.
(He holds up the sword and positioned it to his belly. But leans to Juliet to give her the kiss)
It isn’t fair that I live while you’re dead, So I’m going to trade my life for death instead. Here comes my kiss, my one-sweetest goodbye kiss.
(They kiss.)

(ROMEO holds the death poison and makes a big production out of it. Suspenseful music comes on and gets louder as he brings the potion to his mouth.. ROMEO notices this and plays with the music. He moves the poison away from his mouth and the music gets softer, closer—louder, etc. Finally, he puts the poison to his mouth. He lays dead.)

(The NARRATORS enter.)

NARRATOR #2. So Romeo die with a kiss not knowing Juliet was just asleep.
NARRATOR #1. Juliet woke up from her long long sleep and sees her beau cold and stiff.

(JULIET releases a big scream. She screams up to the top of her lungs. Tears burst out to her eyes. She wraps her arms around ROMEO’S dead body.)
JULIET. Oh, Romeo, my Romeo. What happened to you? I thought we’d vow to end this feud? Oh, here lay your sword so sharp and dangerous Then I’ll be quick my body will be your cover.
(She holds the dagger and positioned it to her body)
Rust inside my body and let me die.
(She stabs herself and dies)
NARRATOR #2. Long years of bitterness ended this way.
NARRATOR #1. Now we had nothing but tears to wipe away.
BOTH. We know you thought it, as a comedy, but no. . . . It is a gross tragedy.

THE END
(NARRATORS WILL BOW AND WILL INTRODUCE THE CAST OF CHARACTERS FROM BEHIND THE CURTAIN AND CURTAIN WILL FALL BEHIND.)

Acknowledgments
The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet was first produced on September 21, 2001 in Mankato, Minnesota at Bethany Lutheran College. P.B. and J. J. directed it. And as a to convey our utmost appreciation, we give acknowledgment to Peter Bloedel, for his witty reinvention of Shakespeare’s great classic. And to our own very members for doing their part very well.

CLARIFICATIONS
The play you have just witnessed is another remake of Romeo and Juliet. It comes first as a witty performance but ended in a tragic moment still. SKLZ edited the original play and add and left out some parts. The ending is her idea with contrast to the whimsical ending of the original play by P. B.

Comedy Plays: Congreve and Restoration Comedy

"Life is a comedy to those who think and a tragedy to those who feel" said Walpole.

Comedy! This article is written to introduce very special and important subset of great literature. Comedy is not just playing light jokes or criticism. After every comedy, there is really seriousness introduced by an author. Comedy has changed very little through the generation. Writing comedy or playing it is an art. However it is found that most comedians are somber people at heart.

Comedy Literature

Plays, novels, narration, stories, tales, drama or poetries – none of them are left from the ‘Touch of Comedy’. William Congreve is an English dramatist, the greatest English master of pure comedy. "You must not kiss and tell." This familiar phrase is one of many written by him.

Characteristics of Comedy

A way of looking at the world in which basic values are asserted but natural laws suspended to underscore human follies and foolishness sometimes wry, rueful, hilarious.

1. suspension of natural laws
2. contrast between social order and individual
3. comic premise:

The idea or concept that turns the accepted notion of things upside down and makes it the basis of the play provides structural and thematic unity and can be a springboard for comic dialog, characters, and situations involves exaggeration and incongruity and contradictions--

Types of Comedy

There are basically five to six types of comedies involved in plays and dramas.

Farce
Farce is a comedy characterized by broad satire and improbable situations. It goes to extremes, dealing with the ridiculous, but not with physical impossibilities. Though farce need not necessarily be probable, still it should be put on a plausible basis and worked out as though probable.

Burlesques
It generally treats of a serious, and, perhaps, well-known subject, in an absurd, incongruous manner.

Satire
Ridicule of public institutions and figures.

Domestic Comedy
Involves home and hearth. It deals with humorous situations of every-day life—situations that may happen to the average individual.

Comedy of Manners / Wit
Similar to character and situation aristocratic and witty characters.

Extravaganza
It usually treats of unnatural and impossible situations. The superhuman activities of a character, or set of characters, usually supply the plot.

What does writer look into while writing a comedy?

Be Realistic
Life itself is a comedy. Take your realistic views from pages of lives. Inflame laughter at the incongruities you observe.

Mode of thought
Comedy is a mode of thought. Study man as social being. Get into social life. Play yourself as one of the social life’s roles. Observe others critically and analytically without loss of the real values of life.

After understanding ‘What the comedy is’, lets understand great play writer ‘Congreve’ and his time.

William Congreve

I am a fool, I know it; and yet, Heaven help me, I'm poor enough to be a wit.
- Love for Love (act I, sc. 1)

His first play ‘The Old Bachelor’ was an enormous success produced at the Drury Lane in 1693.

His second effort ‘The Double Dealer’ was not really his success and criticized by public.

At the moment he returned with ‘Love for Love’ to the public favor and his reputation improved still further with the production of his only tragedy, The Mourning Bride, in 1697.

The Way of the World (1700) was a story that revolves around a pair of lovers, Millamant and Mirabell, who establish a rather unconventional marriage arrangement based on their knowledge of the way of the world which, as they know, is inhabited primarily by intriguers, fops, and fools. It is his greatest work to comedy literature.

Congrave said, " I have designed some characters who appear ridiculous, not so much through a natural folly as through an affected wit, a wit which at the same time that it I affected, is also false."

The base of Congreve’s comedy is ‘affection’.

Congravian Idealism in Comedy

While writing play, either of three parts is paid attention - action, time or place. Congreve has not given importance to the action in his plays.

- Contrasted characters are presented in plays.
- ‘Affections’ were given stressed.
- Importance to literary beauty is center point in play.
- The theme mainly was: ‘Please and divert the audience’.
- Do not chastise and correct the affections of society.
- His ideal after play is intellectual, witty and cynical.

Restoration Comedy and Congreve

It is an English comedy of the period of the Restoration, stressing manners and social satire.

It follows the political and social turmoil of the English Civil War. The Restoration Age was characterized by a sense of loss and cultural disillusion coupled with efforts to restore social stability and cohesion. These conditions were associated with a diminishment in the influence of traditional institutions such as religion and the aristocracy and the rise of new institutions to replace them. The audience of the restoration was upper class. The plays of Congreve are considered the greatest achievement of Restoration comedy. They are comedies of manners, depicting an artificial and narrow world peopled by characters of nobility and fashion, to which manners, especially gallantry, are more important than morals.

Congreve's view of mankind is amused and cynical. His characters are constantly engaged in complicated intrigues, usually centering around money, which involve mistaken identities, the signing or not signing of legal documents, weddings in masquerade, etc.

What else!

Congreve’s plays are particularly famous for their brilliance of language; for verbal mastery and wit they have perhaps been equaled only by the comedies of Oscar Wilde.

Playwright Harold Pinter wins the 2005 Nobel Prize for Literature

By Mark Hoerrner

East London-born Harold Pinter penned the lines "there are no hard distinctions between what is real and what is unreal, nor between what is true and what is false. A thing is not necessarily either true or false; it can be both true and false." Pinter used these words he wrote in 1958 to challenge the world to look beyond the rhetoric and question the establishment. His use of words, as a poet and playwright, have now earned him recognition from the Swedish Academy, who have selected him as the Nobel Prize medallist in literature for 2005.

The author of 29 plays including "The Caretaker," "The Birthday Party" and "Betrayal," Pinter has also inked 21 screenplays. "The French Lieutenant’s Woman" is his best-known movie script to date. In selecting Pinter for this year’s award, the Swedish Academy said that Pinter had "restored theatre to its most basic elements: an enclosed space and unpredictable dialogue." Academy officials also praised him as one of the top three playwrights of the last 50 years.

Previously, Pinter won the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1996 for lifetime achievement in theatre. He has been nominated for Tony Awards four times, winning in 1967 as author of Best Play for his work, "The Homecoming." His other nominations were for Best Play, "The Caretaker," in 1962; Best Play, "Old Times," in 1972, and as Best Director for "The Man in the Glass Booth" in 1969. In more recent years, Pinter has spent time promoting pacifism and actively opposing the war in Iraq, going so far as to drum up public support in the United Kingdom for the ousting of Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Pinter’s award is the 105th such award in Literature, having begun in 1901 with poet Sully Prudhomme. The award takes into consideration essays, speeches, short stories, plays, novels and poetry. Each year, the Swedish Academy begins accepting nominations for the award in the September prior to the announcement, and continues taking nominations through February. More than 200 names are usually submitted to the Nobel Committee, but the list is shortened to about five candidates prior to the Swedish Academy’s summer adjournment. In October, the winner is announced. The winner is invited to Stockholm for a ceremony in December during which the candidate receives the Nobel Medal, a cash award, and a personal diploma.

Elements of Drama

Drama is a display of emotions, a representation of relationships and the portrayal of the different phases of human life. It sketches different personalities and represents a wide variety of emotions through the different characters it portrays. Which of its components are identified as the elements of drama? Let us see.

Aristotle, a philosopher who wrote on a variety of subjects like poetry, theater, music, rhetoric and handled subjects like biology, physics, logic and politics, writes that there are six elements of drama, According to him, plot, theme, character, dialogue, music and the visual element of a play make up the six elements of drama. Let us look at each of them.

Theme: The theme of a drama refers to the central idea of the play. It can either be clearly stated through dialogue or action or can be inferred after watching the entire performance.

Plot: The order of events occurring in a play is referred to as the plot of the drama. It is the basic storyline that is narrated through a play. The entertainment one derives from a play depends largely on the sequence of events that occur in the story. The logical connection between the events and the characters, which enact the story form an integral part of the plot of drama.

Characters: The characters that form a part of the story are interwoven with the plot of the drama. Each character in a play has a personality of its own and has a distinct set of principles and beliefs. Actors who play various roles in a drama have the very important responsibility of bringing the characters to life.

Dialogue: The story of any play is taken forward by means of the dialogue. The story is narrated to the audiences through the dialogue written by the playwright. The success of a drama depends hugely on the contents of the dialogue and the quality of dialogue delivery by the actors of the play.

Music: This element of drama comprises of the melody in the use of sounds and rhythm in dialogues as well as melodious compositions, which form a part of many plays. The background score, the songs and the sound effects that are used in a play make up the musical element of drama. Music composers and lyricists sit together to create music that can go well with the theme of the play. If the scenes of a play are accompanied by well-suited pieces of music, they become more effective on the audiences. Hence, music forms a very important element of drama.

Visual Element: While the dialogue and music constitute the audible aspect of drama, the visual element deals with the scenes, costumes and special effects used in it. The visual element of drama, also known as the spectacle, renders a visual appeal to it. The costumes worn by the artists must suit the characters they are playing. Besides, it is important for the scenes to be dramatic enough to hold the audiences to their seats. The special effects used in a play add to the visual appeal. Thus, the spectacle forms an essential component of drama.

Apart from these elements of drama as given by Aristotle, the structure of the story, a clever use of symbolism and contrast and stagecraft form some of the other important elements of drama.

The structure of the story comprises of the way in which the story is put forth to the audience. The way in which the characters play their roles and the framework of the story constitute the drama structure. Direction is an essential constituent of a play. A well-directed story can help in fetching greater mass appeal. Stagecraft plays a vital role in increasing the visual appeal of a drama. The use and organization of different stage properties and the stage setup constitute the stagecraft, which is an essential component of a play.

The use of symbols implies the use of indirect suggestions in a drama. Logically used symbols help in making a scene more effective. The use of contrast is about using stillness followed by activity or silence followed by noise. It can also mean the use of contrasting colors to add to the visual appeal. It can mean the clever use of contrasting scenes following each other that enhance the dramatic element of a play.

An enthusiastic audience is perhaps one of the very essential elements of drama. A play needs a live and lively audience who can constructively criticize performances and generously appreciate quality work.

A Brief History of Opera

Opera, an integral part of the Western classical music tradition, is a beautiful blend of music, dance and drama. It is an exquisite art form wherein singers and musicians put up a dramatic work on stage. An opera house is a theater consisting of a stage, an orchestra pit, backstage facilities and seating for the audience that is used for opera performances. Opera has a glorious history that begins with the popular works by Monteverdi, Purcell and Cavalli of the seventeenth century and ranges right up to the twentieth century works of Messiaen, Berio, Adams and others. Let’s take a tour to the era that witnessed the origin of opera and also look at a brief history of this popular art form.

History and Timeline of Opera

When and where did opera begin? Dafne, created by Jacopo Peri, an Italian composer and singer, is regarded as the earliest opera composition. It was largely inspired by an elite circle of Florentine humanists. The orchestration of Dafne consisted of a harpsichord, a lute, a viol, a triple flute and an archlute. Sadly, no one has been able to trace it till date. Euridice, a work of the same composer has survived and is one of the ancient operas surviving today. Euridice was composed for the marriage of Henry IV and Maria de Medici.

By 1637, the opera had not remained confined to the court. Public performances of operas had begun. They soon acquired a style of their own and began gaining appreciation from society. However, opera had to face criticism from some sections of society, which believed that it had lost its dramatic purity. There was a fear among certain people that opera might lose its original form. Bel canto, literally meaning 'beautiful singing', is an Italian opera that requires agility and pitch control for performance. It received greater impetus in the nineteenth century, wiping out criticism and fear in the minds of the masses.

Nabucco that is based on the biblical story and play, by Ancient-Bourgeois and Francis Cornu, succeeded bel canto. It was devised by Giuseppe Verdi, a romantic composer of Italy. Grand opera, Don Carlos as also Otello and Falstaff inspired from Shakespearean literature, were some of his notable works. Following Nabucco, Pietro Mascagni, an Italian composer came up with a sentimental and realistic style of composition. The Italian opera crossed national boundaries and began spreading to different parts of the world.

Jean-Baptiste Lully, a French composer born in Italy, as a revolt against the spread of Italian opera in France, established a separate tradition of opera. He also founded an Academy of Music dedicated to the French opera. Besides Lully, Jean-Philippe Rameau, one of the most prominent composers and music theorists in France and Jacques Offenbach, known for the operetta form were some of the other famed names in the sphere of opera music.

In the 1730s, opera came to Russia. Foreign composers like Domenico Cimarosa, Baldassare Galuppi and others got an opportunity to come to Russia to compose new operas. Tsefal i Pokris, an opera seria in three acts was the first Russian opera. It was written by the Italian composer, Francesco Araja. Mikhail Glinka, a Russian composer is credited with the creation of the first real Russian opera.

Thomas Arne, an English composer hugely contributed to the increase in the popularity of English-language opera. His first experiment with comic opera turned out being a huge success. His opera Artaxerxes of 1762 gained immense popularity. George Frideric Handel, a Baroque composer born in Germany was another major contributor to the rise in popularity of English opera. However, works of Beethoven and Mozart remained popular for long. American composers like Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin and Douglas Moore were some of the relatively later contributors to English opera.

The Italian opera was highly influential over the German society. However, some German composers came up with certain native styles of music, which were nonetheless popular. One of the most prominent figures in the field of opera music was Richard Wagner. He was a German composer, conductor and theater director who had to fight controversies before he emerged a successful opera composer. He is known to have revolutionized opera music by bringing about major changes in the rendition, thus giving it a new dimension.

Today, opera is one of the most popular forms of western music. It has reached far and wide and shall continue being popular among music lovers.

History of Drama

A drama is ideally enacted in a theater, open or closed, and the performances are by actors, live, before an audience that either sits around or before the stage. A single drama is a collaborative effort. The cumulative efforts are pooled for the various modes of production, flow of the text and research in the form of literature adopted. This form of entertainment has not lost its patronage or vigor and continues to remain popular, despite all the technology involved in a film-making. The history of drama goes back ages and to various cultures. The earliest tragedies, comedies and romance were real masterpieces. They were represented as genres of poetry and the dramatic mode was interspersed with epic lyrics. The first ever work on theory in drama and dramatics was Aristotle's Poetics, published in c. 335 BCE. There are different aspects of the art that make it popular with distinct audiences. Classical music and dance are integral parts of drama, while the opera involves only singing. There are musicals that have dialogue and songs within regular intervals. Melodramas offer the audience regular accompaniment by musical instruments.

Athenian Drama:

Athenian drama or Western drama was originated in Greece. The city-state of Athens is credited with the production of tragedy, comedy, and satyr. Drama in Athens was institutionalized through competitions. The Greeks came up with the idea of an actor who speaks and impersonates. The main lead was expected to deliver dialogue while interacting with the chorus. This form of drama involved non-dramatic poetry and complete texts. The Persians, by Aeschylus, is a historical tragedy that is also the oldest surviving drama.

Roman Drama:

Early Roman theater was not only more varied than Greek drama, but also more extensive. Initially, they were sophisticated works of Roman literature, tragedies and comedies. In the 2nd century BCE, drama was part and parcel of the Roman culture. There was a writers' guild who delivered dialogue and text for even plays that were set on street corners and crossings. They contributed to a variety of poetic forms and complex plots. The bifurcation of the production work thus led to the enaction of double-plots, involving the complexity of human behavior.

Medieval Drama:

Medieval drama basically involved religious enactment. These plays were enacted within the premises of the cathedrals. They were usually miracle and mystery plays. They focused on propagating morality with the help of specially interspersed interludes. Many of the plays were then written in verse. Ben Jonson and Christopher Marlowe were prominent playwrights of this era. The plays highlighted past kings and Tudor monarchy.

Modern Drama:

Modern drama is the result of innovative contributions, like the roles of imitators. Modernist drama is realist and has scope for experimentation and social critique.Important playwrights of Modern drama include Anton Chekhov, Maurice Maeterlinck, George Bernard Shaw and Arthur Miller, among many.

Other Shades of Dramatics:

While Indian drama initially involved dramatic episodes, it evolved to include human concerns. The earliest form of theory on drama is the Natya Shastra by Bharata. Chinese theater has stuck by the popular opera from Beijing. Japanese drama developed only in the 15th century. The musical instruments and techniques were handed down generations by word of mouth. Drama is one of the types of literature that has gained popularity during the years. Among the various forms of drama, Western opera grew and thrived during the Renaissance in Italy. Music and theater were combined. Pantomimes told of fables. In a pantomime, there is always a lesson to be learned, as the hero emerges victorious.

The American Conservatory Theater

More than a century ago, San Francisco was widely renowned for having a huge variety of cultural events appealing to a wide variety of people. When an earthquake and fire hit the city disastrously on April 18, 1906, that distinction vanished. In the destruction, San Francisco had lost all of its eight theaters downtown.

Although the performing arts community was stricken, the city so known for its culture quickly rebounded and began reconstructing the city, and gave number one priority to rebuilding its artistic venues. Between 1906 and 1911, architects designed and built eight new theaters in the downtown area, each of which reflected the latest designs and modern technology. The great theatrical legacy of San Francisco quickly resumed. Out of those eight original venues, only the American Conservatory Theater stayed in operation as a full-time professional theater. It has often been referred to as the birthplace of San Francisco’s legitimate drama since 1910, which was the year the theater was completed and opened to the public.

Designed by one of the most prominent architecture groups in San Francisco, Bliss and Faville, the theater’s construction began in 1909. The exterior of the building reflects the style of the late Victorian era, combining elements of a baroque influence with styles from neoclassicism designs. The façade of the building is composed mostly of yellow brick and terra cotta glazed with polychrome. The marquee, which was originally made of metal and glass like other theaters of the time, was replaced in 1987 by a reproduction made of all metal. But for the most part, the theater since its construction has retained most of the original design elements and character both on the outside and on the inside. Standing as a proud example of early 20th-century architecture, the theater remains faithful to the period in history in which it was built.

The building, which opened in January of 1910, was known originally as the Columbia Theater. It was named for a theater hat had been destroyed during the earthquake. The theater picked right up where it had been before the fire, presenting distinguished companies as well as stage celebrities with international reputations, such as Isadora Duncan, Sarah Bernhardt, and Nazimova. Along with changes in management between 1924 and 1928, the theater changed names briefly to the Wilkes Theater and the Lurie Theater, and then reopened on February 6, 1928, with the name The Geary Theater. That name remained until the building’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2006, when the building was renamed to the American Conservatory Theater.

Over the past century the theater has been home to historic productions that featured many legendary figures of American 20th-century dramatic works, including Basil Rathbone, Edward G. Robinson, Lionel Barrymore, Frederic March, George Arliss, Ethel Waters, Alfred Lunt, Boris Karloff, Ina Claire, Paul Muni, Katherine Cornell, Laurence Olivier, Lynne Fontanne, and Judith Anderson, among many others. In addition to memorable stage productions, the theater presented the premieres of two classic American movies, Disney’s Fantasia as well as Citizen Kane by Orson Welles.

The mission statement of the theater is a simple and straightforward one. The American Conservatory Theater preserves the nature of live theater by presenting stage productions, providing intensive training for actors in its theater conservatory, and maintaining an ongoing dialogue with the community. Every aspect of the creative work of the American Conservatory Theater demonstrates its commitment to nurturing the love of live theater and blazing trails for new forms of theater arts.

Acting Tips for Kids

The world of showbiz is not only restricted to aspiring adult actors, but also needs talented little kids. Roles for child actors are not only found in advertisements, but also in the area of theater, television and movies. As children are not much aware of how the acting world works, it becomes the responsibility of the parents to train their child to act. Though some kids are expert in mimicking other actors as well as people they meet in their daily life, acting in a theater is totally different.

There are actually positive as well as negative aspects of trying to make children act. The positive aspect is that most children do not have any inhibitions and are ready to act in the way people want them to. However, the negative aspect is that their attention does not hold for a very long time and this can hinder their performance. Nevertheless, though making a child act can be a little difficult, it is definitely not impossible because we have seen a host of child actors who have entertained us with their acting skills. So parents, here are some acting tips for kids that will help you in teaching your kids the nuances of acting. Read on child development.

Acting Tips for Beginners - Kids

One of the most important factors that is necessary for a child to act is his/her interest. Many times, it happens that children are forced into the field of acting because of their parents interest. Parents must remember that though they may be able to force their kid initially, if the child does not have interest in acting, it will not take much time for the casting director or producer to realize this fact. Hence, it is important for parents to talk to them and make them understand the whole process (except for babies). If your child is keen on acting and has gained a role for himself, he will surely have to undergo a rehearsal. However, training him at home will not only make the process easier for him, but for the production team as well. Read more on acting tips for beginners.

Characterization
Understanding one's character is one of the most crucial acting tips for kids to help them give their best performance. Though parents may think that characterization is something that children will not understand, they are actually wrong. Children have excellent imaginary skills and are often seen to indulge in role playing and hence parents can use this method to help the child to get into his character. If your child's role in a play is of a salesperson in a shop, make up a story where he plays the shopkeeper and you play the role of the customers visiting the shop. Create certain dialogs for the character of the shopkeeper as well as the customers. Practicing in this way will help your kid in understanding how he has to act for his role.

Memorizing Lines
Memorizing one's lines is very important, especially if your child has got a part for a theater play where there are no chances for retakes. Though it is not possible to force them to learn the lines by heart, you can help him with the aid of some acting tips and tricks. Rather than just making him memorize the line, explain what is exactly happening in the scene. Tell him the situation in the scene and how his character has to behave and what he has to say. This will make the task of remembering the lines much easier for your child. Another way of doing this is by listening to the dialogs. If your child is bored of reading the lines again and again, you can record these dialogs in a CD and make him listen while he is doing other activities like reading, drawing, sleeping, etc. It has been observed that listening to something for a long time improves memory of a person.

Voice Projection
If your kid has got a part for a play, it is important that he learns to speak loudly so that the audience can hear him clearly. You can make him practice with the help of some exercises. One such exercise is where you have to keep some kind of object near your kid and ask him to say the dialogs to that object, as if it is a person listening to him. After a few lines, move the object a little behind and tell him to say the dialogs to it. When you move the object behind, your child will have to speak louder so that the object is able to hear him. This exercise will surely help in saying his dialogs loudly as well as clearly on stage. Know more about public speaking techniques.

I hope these acting tips for kids are useful for you to assist your kid to perform well on stage. Parents should have lot of patience while teaching these acting tips for children as they may not show improvement at the first time itself. Rather than getting frustrated, remember that it will require a lot of hard work, time and practice for your child to make his mark in the field of acting.

Top Korean Dramas

Korean television is unlike television in the U.S. or Canada. Unlike the season style shows that are popular in the North American continent, in South Korea, television series are episodic with a set number of episodes, which have a start and an end that are well defined. These shows also tend to be overtly dramatic and extremely stylishly shot. With the wave of popularity that Korean culture is enjoying, there has been an increasing demand for shots of Korean culture, like the cuisine, top Korean songs, top Korean dramas, etc. In this article, we try and list out for you some of the top Korean dramas on television, that you should catch.

List of Top Korean Dramas

Korean television generally restricts itself to three very definitive styles of drama in television - romantic, historical and detective. The romantic genre of drama is hugely popular in the country and is the base for most television shows. Given below are the five most watched Korean dramas on television and also a list of the top Korean dramas over the years.

The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince
Telecast on MBC between July and August 2007, airing every Monday and Tuesday, The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince was a dramedy about a young tomboyish woman and a man who is the heir apparent to a food empire. The man assumes initially that the woman is a guy and hires him to pretend to be his gay lover. The drama details their love story with all the confusion that unfolds, as it dawns on all the characters of the drama, that the protagonist is actually a woman. A coffee shop owned by the hero is the background for the show.

Dae Jang Geum
Another MBC production from 2003, this drama series had as its protagonist, the first female practitioner of medicine in the royal family of the Josean Dynasty. The series revolved around her life, the trials and tribulations she faced. The show was immensely popular for showcasing the cultural heritage of Korea.

Sandglass
This 24 episode political drama series from 1995 aired on SBS. The protagonists were two men who grew up in the turbulent 70's and 80's and chose two different paths, one growing up to become a gangster and the other turning to law and becoming a prosecutor. Starring Choi Min-soo and Park Sang Won, the series dealt and portrayed many politically sensitive issues from the era in which it was based.

Winter Sonata
Also known as the Winter Ballad or the Winter Lover Story, it was a sequel to the drama, Endless Love, which was also telecast on KBS. In 2009, Winter Sonata was adapted into an anime series. In 20 episodes, Winter Sonata told the story of two lovers who are torn apart by circumstances which included an accident that results in the hero losing his memory and his moving to the United States under what he believes is his true identity. Ten years later, he returns to Korea and a chance meeting with his former love complicates both the relationships they are in.

Rustic Period
With 124 episodes, it is one of the longer drama series in this list. The show, which was telecast on SBS in the years 2002-03, was a fictional account of the life of the politician Kim Doo Han. The story starts from his childhood detailing his relationship with his father, moving on to how he grows up to become a leader and politician who wants to keep the dying culture of a nation alive. The show starred Ahn Jae Mo as the young Kim Doon Han, later replaced by Kim Young Chul.

These were just some of the top Korean dramas of all time. There are many other T.V. shows that are worth a watch. Given below is a list of the top Korean dramas to watch.

    * Punch
    * Full House
    * Golden Bride
    * Goong
    * Jumong
    * Thank You
    * Romance in Paris
    * Stairway to Heaven
    * All In
    * Summer Scent
    * Attic Cat
    * Snowman
    * Shoot for the Stars
    * My Love Toram
    * My Love Patji
    * Loving You
    * Ruler of Your Own World
    * My Name is Kim Sam Soon
    * Romance
    * Success Story of a Bright Girl
    * Autumn Fairy Tale
    * The Palace
    * Alone in Love
    * Goodbye Solo
    * Spring Waltz
    * The Great King
    * Lovers in Prague
    * Rose-Colored Life
    * My Girl
    * Age of Heroes
    * Full House
    * Hearts in Bali
    * Jewel in the Palace
    * Damo
    * Mermaid Lady
    * The Age of Warriors
    * Alcohol Land
    * Love Letter
    * Present
    * Glass Slippers
    * Loneliness
    * Wang Gun
    * Beautiful Days
    * Fox & Cotton Candy
    * Guardian Angel
    * Hotelier
    * Ladies of The Palace
    * Piano
    * Sang Do
    * All About Eve
    * Hur Joon
    * Mr. Duke
    * Truth
    * Goodbye, My Love
    * Happy Together
    * Into The Sunlight
    * Model
    * The Power of Love
    * Wish Upon a Star
    * Trap of Youth
    * First Love
    * Barefoot Youth
    * The Last Match

Some of the top Korean dramas in 2010, which are expected to become hugely popular are Please Marry Me that is going to start airing this month, Comrades, Road Number One, Running, etc. Traditionally, Korean dramas have been restricted to an audience within Korea, but sometime in the last decade, Korean dramas started becoming hugely popular in Asia and Hawaii, resulting in syndication of the several shows with subtitles. Many of the top Korean dramas can attribute their popularity to this pan-continent fan base. Hopefully, this list of top Korean dramas has been helpful to those amongst us, who are not familiar with the Korean television industry.

Skit Ideas

Everyone has some cherished memory of performing in skits right from school days. Reminiscing these days never fails to bring a smile on our face. Be it a serious, funny or mythological skit, the skits as well as rehearsals were always fun. The backstage chaos, changing get ups in seconds, mugging up dialogs, and not to mention forgetting the lines at the most crucial times! This indeed brings back the jittery feeling as well as delightful memories. You can still recreate some of these moments by directing and participating in skits. You can experiment with a number of skit ideas and perform them at social gatherings, such as birthday parties, anniversaries, send off parties, camps, etc. This will definitely lighten up the moment and make your celebration unique, and it will also pleasantly surprise the spectators and keep their interest alive.

Ideas of Skits

A skit is nothing but a play of a short duration. Skits are performed in an informal setting where sophisticated stage equipments are not available, like a club meeting, classroom or party. A skit can be compared with a short play that includes a written script to be acted or performed live in a theater or on a stage. Street plays can also be equated with skits, they generally convey some social message. But the skit ideas can differ according to the event, audience and the topic.

Skit Ideas for Kids
Kids are always fascinated with the idea of viewing a live performance. They get totally involved in the skit and they always have an open mind, ready to absorb new ideas. Skits are an innovative manner of reaching out to the young minds. There are innumerable skit ideas for kids, and you can always use your innovative ideas to prepare themes that are relevant. You can either put up a skit for the kids to watch or involve them as actors in the skit. Children can act out skits which have a moral, or just a simple funny skit. Children can also perform nursery rhymes as musical skits. It's always a delight to watch these innocent little ones on stage. You can also try themes as per the situation, like if it is Christmas time , the kids can perform Christmas plays, this is an easy way to get them to know the Christmas history as well. Skits are the best way to teach children some moral lesson, as it reaches children in an innovative manner. You can also involve kids to perform skits during Thanksgiving as well when the entire family has gathered. Be it school gatherings or birthday parties, skit ideas will always prove helpful. Another innovation in skit ideas is that of a puppet skit, that is performed using various puppets as characters. The puppet shows are very entertaining and interesting as they bring still objects to life. If you do not want to include any morals or lessons in the skit, the kids can also perform a short skit on their favorite cartoon character like Popeye or Bob the Builder, or even superheros like Batman and Spiderman.

Skit Ideas for College Students
Skit ideas for college students can be useful in learning new things in an entertaining way. These skits can be targeted at students from various backgrounds. You can prepare a nice skit for the homecoming party or generally for a class. It will definitely be an out of the box way of learning. It is a good idea for class reunions as well. Skit ideas for college students can include a scene from the history lesson or your own interpretation of Othello or Hamlet. You can also deal with serious situations like drug abuse or addictions through skits. Participating and directing skits in college will not only help build the confidence and give a positive self image for these youngsters but will also help in getting out the hidden talent and love for performing in them.

Funny Skit Ideas
Funny skits are always a hit with the audiences and the people participating also enjoy them equally. Hilarious skit ideas are always appealing to people of all ages. You can come up with an impromptu skit in an informal party or when you are just hanging out with friends. You can mime a family member or friend, but remember to keep it in good spirit. Funny skits are welcome for any occasion, be it a birthday party, Thanksgiving, church gathering, or even outdoor camps. You can also write your own script and get a few friends or family members to act out the play.

Skits can be performed indoors as well as outdoors. They are a great idea for any gathering and occasion. They can serve as ice breakers, as a break from a monotonous session, or just pure entertainment. I am sure the skit ideas mentioned in this article will help you put up an amazing show. So think of any topic, situation or character, gather a few friends, and plan an entertaining cum educational skit, and keep your audiences riveted.

Funny Skit Ideas

A skit is a dramatic work, not extending more than 5 to 6 minutes. It is usually performed by only 2 to 3 characters, as more characters will require more time to be established, though there can be more if the need arises. The number of situations also has to be limited. Presented here, are some funny skit ideas that will have to be developed by you considering your audience.

Performing comedy can be very difficult, and I say this based on my personal experience. You never know at what point the audience will laugh and where they will continue to wait for the punch line. Also, it's a skit, so you have to get to the punch line quickly. The setting, the characters, the situation, everything has to be conveyed in a short duration of time. Sounds tough? It is not, if you keep one thing in mind while writing and practicing the skit, that is to see it as the audience would see it. If you have time, try video-recording the performance and you'll be able to experience what the audience is about to experience. Before writing the script, get into the mood by watching some cartoons or series like Mr. Bean or read some funny quotes and sayings. This will also give you some inspiration and situations to build upon. If you are looking for funny skit ideas for school, this exercise will work really well for you. If funny skit ideas for talent show is what you are digging, try checking out some stand up comedy videos. Doing this will also give you an idea about performing on stage.

Short Funny Skit Ideas

I have tried to list some of the tried and tested skit ideas that you can mold according to your audience and liking. Note that these are merely ideas. The characters and situations will have to be framed by you, which will not be a very difficult task as I will explain that also, but in brief.

The Alphabetical
This one is fun to watch and perform. You don't need a script or dialogs here. Just take a situation, and each character can play himself. Suppose there are three characters X, Y and Z. X will say something, related to the situation, but his sentence should start with the alphabet A. Now Y will say something, again, related to the situation, starting his sentence with B and so on. Many short funny skit ideas can be developed from this one.

Stranded
This idea can develop many situations. It can make many funny skit ideas for two people. Take a situation, where two people are stranded at an airport or bus stop. The characters can be whoever you want. Having characters of opposite natures, asking each other some silly questions can be fun. The way in which these characters interact will make up the skit.

Bad Luck Day
This one can be wrapped up in a few minutes or can be made into a three hour play. I have seen a play, whose lead character was a very unlucky guy. Moreover, his bad luck was infectious. Things going-wrong can be a great theme for any comic performance. Watch any of the Charlie Chaplin movies to get some ideas. Funny skit ideas for kids can be based on this one.

Sarcasm on the Current Political Situation
This is another amazing way of getting laughs, as people can relate to it. You can have a situation where a political leader is delivering a speech that goes wrong or gets exchanged.

Make a Spoof
Take a popular movie, mythological situation, TV show, etc., and spoof it! A spoof is a comic version of something. This one is pretty easy to sketch, practice and perform. As all you have to do is lift things from the original. Your creativity lies in the way you twist the original script to make it funny. You can make use of some the famous funny movie quotes too.

The First Word that Comes to Your Mind
It can be anything. Bike, burger, cellphone, dog, anything. Put that into the first situation that comes to your mind. This random theory works. Try putting dog into the situation - award function. This will surely give you some short funny skit ideas.

Behind the Scenes or Bloopers
Just show them what fun you had while making the skit. This idea can yield lots of short funny skit ideas. The auditions, clash of opinions, messing up dialogs, repeated mistakes, etc. It can be a lot of fun to practice and there will be hardly any stage fright.

To sum it up, whichever of the funny skit ideas you choose to implement, try to keep it sensible. Also, write with your audience in mind. Remember, writing and performing comedy is a serious business, so take it seriously.

Improvisation Exercises

Simply put, improvisation is performing an art form spontaneously. It can be theater, music, dance, creative writing, etc. It also gives the performer a nice warm up. In theater, improvisation exercises are more focused on improving the spontaneity of the actor. This article will target improvisational exercises for actors.

Improvisation Exercises for Actors

Improvisation theater has developed into a separate branch of theater. It has the actors performing spontaneously, taking inspiration from the surroundings or suggestions from the audience. It is also used to convey acting techniques to the actors. A very popular television adaptation of this theater style is the TV series Whose Line Is It Anyway?. Following are some improvisational exercises for actors.

Guess Who
This is a simple exercise that will boost the spontaneity of the actors immensely. It has to be done in pairs. Actor 'A' is asked to wait outside the room while actor 'B' is asked to come up with a character and prepare to play it. Now, actor 'A' comes back into the room. He has to guess what character actor 'B' has assumed and react accordingly.

JAM (Just A Minute)
This drama activity will stimulate the imagination power of the actors by a great deal. Write down a few interesting topics on small pieces of paper, fold them and put them into a bowl. Now, every actor will come on the stage, pick one topic from the bowl, think about it for a minute and then talk on the topic he has got, for one full minute. It will also work well against stage fear.

So Convincing
This exercise has to be done in pairs. One of the actors plays a costumer and the other is a sales or marketing person. The costumer has to be a skeptic and doubt every scheme or product proposed by the sales person. The sales person has to convince the customer and he cannot use any negative words. All of his sentences should start with yes, but... or you are right, but...

Alphabetic
The alphabetic exercise is a lot of fun and will help actors shed their inhibitions. Create a scene by taking a random situation. The first dialog begins with the letter 'A' the next actor should start his dialog with 'B' and so on. If any actor falters, he is eliminated and the game continues with the remaining actors. The actor who remains till the end is the winner.

Go Mute
Make two teams, 'A' and 'B', and call one person from each team on the stage. Team 'A' representative will give a famous quote or a word to the team 'B' representative. Now Team 'B' representative has to convey this word or quote to his team mates, through acting without saying anything. The exercise gives the actors ample scope for using expressions and body language to convey their point. Go Mute can be one of the best improvisation exercises for kids.

Split Personality
Two actors stand facing each other as if standing in front of a mirror. One actor starts talking whatever comes to his mind, with a particular emotion. The other actor also has to start with the exact opposite emotion. For example, if one actor says something with a happy mood, the other says something with a sad mood. It has to be the exact opposite, like if one actor is acting happy, the other cannot act worried or scared.

The motive of all these acting exercises is to make the actors more comfortable and confident on the stage. These exercises also help you get acquainted with all the important elements of drama. You can experiment with the above improvisation exercises as much as you want and come up with your own exercises. All of the above can also be great improvisation exercises for children, with simple modifications.

Best Korean Dramas

Korean dramas are known all over the world, though the major chunk of the best Korean dramas come from South Korea. In the following paragraphs, you will find information on some of them along with the best Korean dramas of all time list.

Best Korean Dramas to Watch

The following are amongst the best Korean dramas. Have look at the brief synopsis and who the actors are in these dramas. You might also like to have look at the top Korean movies in this link.

My Name is Kim Sam Soon
This particular South Korean drama falls under the category of romantic comedy. Kim Sun Ah, Hyun Bin, Jung Ryu Won, Daniel Henney are the actors in it. The storyline goes like this... A girl named, Sam Soon, loves baking and dreams of having a shop her own for selling her bakery products. She has another dream of changing her old fashioned name.

Following a break up from her boyfriend Sam Soon finds work in the pastry making section of a grand French restaurant. From here the drama takes an interesting twist which actually forms a story within a story. Like a typical love story, Sam Soon and the restaurant owner have a not-so-compatible relation even though they are just employee and employer.

Soon Sam Soon is in need of a huge amount of money and finds none other than her employer for help. Agreeing to render the help on one condition Sam Soon has to pretend being his girlfriend. In the meanwhile her employer falls in love with her but life does not remain as easy with his ex-girlfriend entering the scene. Henceforth, the story takes a long course of dramatic events that makes this the best Korean drama series and TV shows of 2005.

East of Eden
Starring in this South Korean drama are Song Seung Hun, Lee Yeon Hee, Lee Da Hae, Yun Jung Hoon, Park Hae Jin, Han Ji Hye. The East of Eden is directed by So Won Young. This drama has bagged many awards in the year 2008, like, awards for writer of the year, award for popular actor as well as actress, Golden acting awards, male and female excellence awards, grand prize award, etc.

The story resembles a typical old Bollywood films where babies get exchanged accidentally at birth. The protagonist,Lee Dong Chul, is one of the babies of course and when he is five, he is witness to a horrible happening. He sees his father being killed and thus swears revenge. The story takes a twist when he discovers his own brother is actually his enemy's son and not his actual sibling. Along with this high drama, have a look at this best Korean movies list.

Best Korean Dramas List

The following is a list of some of the popular and the best Korean dramas to watch.

    * The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince
    * Thank You
    * Golden Bride
    * All About Eve
    * All In
    * Rooftop Room Cat / Attic Cat
    * Autumn Tale
    * Beautiful Days
    * Bright Girl's Story
    * Princess Hours / Goong
    * Dae Jang Geum
    * Damo
    * Delightful Girl Choon-hyang
    * Fashion 70s
    * Full House
    * Let's go to school, Sang-doo
    * Love Letter
    * Lovers in Paris
    * Loving You
    * My Love Patzzi
    * Oh Pil-seung, Bong Soon Young
    * Phoenix
    * Save The last Dance For Me
    * Sorry, I Love You
    * Stairway to Heaven
    * Sweet 18
    * Winter Sonata
    * What Happened in Bali
    * Wonderful Life

Best Korean Dramas of 2009

Enlisted below are the best Korean dramas of 2009 that you will like to watch. They were rated as favorites on quite a lot of surveys.

    * Will it Snow for Christmas?
    * Boys Over Flowers
    * Temptation of a Wife
    * Father’s House
    * Hero
    * You’re Beautiful
    * IRIS
    * Take Care of the Young Lady

Best Korean Dramas of 2010

Following are again a list of the best and top Korean dramas of 2010. Take a look...

    * Bad Man / Nappeun Namja / Bad Guy
    * Legend of the Patriots
    * Mischievous Kiss
    * I Live Without Anything
    * Round Number One
    * Kim Soo Ro
    * Merchant Kim Man Deok
    * Personal Taste

Hope this list and the summary of the best Korean dramas motivate you to watch most of them and have a taste of what Korean dramas have in store for the world.