Renaissance Fair: Tuesday, May 1, 2012!

Shakespeare was greatly influenced by the Renaissance, a period of cultural rebirth during the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries. We will have a classroom Renaissance Fair to recreate some of the exciting sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of Elizabethan England. You will be required to take on ONE of the following roles. Each project is worth 20 points. So that we have variety, there is a limited number of Cooks, Actors, etc.

ACTOR {Individual project}  Memorize and recite a soliloquy or monologue (minimum 14 lines) from Romeo and Juliet. You may use a card with a mnemonic device if necessary.

GROUP PERFORMANCE {Pair or small group project}  Perform a scene from the play. Either deliver the scene in Shakespeare’s tongue, or adapt it to reflect a particular style, such as contemporary, gangster, Jamaican, cowboys, etc. You do not have to memorize the scene, but your performance must reflect enough practice to prove you’ve got the parts down. Make very simple costumes and props. No two groups may perform the same scene. Scenes: I.i.155-233 (Romeo, Benvolio); I.ii.38-99 (Romeo, Benvolio, servant); I.iv (Romeo, Mercutio, Benvolio); I.v.42-144 (Romeo, Tybalt, Capulet, Juliet, Nurse); II.iv.1-88 (Benvolio, Mercutio, Romeo); III.i.1-133 (Benvolio, Romeo, Mercutio, Tybalt); III.v.64-242 (Lady Capulet, Juliet, Lord Capulet, Nurse); IV.i.1-126 (Friar, Paris, Juliet); V.i.1-86 (Romeo, Balthasar, Apothecary [Balthasar/Apothecary could be one person]).

SONNETEER {Individual project}  Compose an original sonnet (using Italian sonnet format) on a theme from Romeo and Juliet. The topic does not have to focus on the play or its characters, but it must focus on a theme from the play. Then, type a half page (double spaced) reflection on how your sonnet relates to that theme. Read your sonnet at the Fair.

COOK {Individual or pair project}  Create and bring in to class a traditional Renaissance food. As you serve your classmates, entertain them with interesting meal-time facts (foods, manners, prayers, etc.) Create a SmartBoard page with the original recipe and the modern redaction of same. There are many sites to research Elizabethan-era foods and the public libraries and book stores may have cookbooks to search through. One web site is as follows: http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/elizabethan-recipes.php.

COURTIER {Individual project}  Create or borrow (but do not buy!) your own Renaissance-style clothing. Costumes are to be worn ONLY during English class. You’ll need to do some research online; one site is as follows: http://renfestival.com/dbfiles/curriculum/Traditional-Wardrobe.pdf . Go through closets; check Goodwill, etc. for pieces.

QUILTER {Individual or pair project}  Make a paper quilt. Select and depict twelve or sixteen scenes from the play for a multiple panel quilt. On each panel, create an illustration and type or neatly write a caption which includes the act, scene, and a quote. The illustrations may be hand drawn or collage, black and white or colored, and may use one or a variety of mediums. Create a border for each panel and, using ribbon, string or other material, tie the panels together to form a large wall hanging. Tie acts and scenes in order.

Minstrel {Individual, pair or small group project}  Research Renaissance music scores and select a piece to practice and perform for the class on your recorder, violin, guitar, flute, oboe, etc. One site with simple, free sheet music: http://fclass.vaniercollege.qc.ca/web/music/sheetmus.html