My husband received a grant this past summer to start a non-profit. Much of my time is now split between being his part-time volunteer managing director, and pursuing my acting. I have also been away for several months. This summer I taught play composition to little (I mean little) children. After that I travelled to Wisconsin for some much needed family bonding, and then Jonathon and I took our honeymoon to Greece and Turkey.
Now that I have returned I am taking scene study class, hopefully interning at a wonderful theater, and working at our non-profit.
All of these things have been very inspiring, and I can see that I am growing both as an actor and as a human being.
Ophelia, however, is never far behind in my thoughts. Ideas are still percolating, although my days in the library are not possible at the moment. For instance, I have begun to think about playing with the structure of my play. Originally I had several scene ideas planned out, alternating between Ophelia and my professor character. Now I'm beginning to think that I should really rest on the five act structure of Shakespeare himself. Perhaps using the acts in the same way Shakespeare used them, although the content would be very different. Or perhaps starting in the five act structure, using it as another way in which to trap or confine Ophelia, and then allowing her to break out of it. I am also thinking of modernizing the story much as Jonathon and I have modernized Esther together. Perhaps this Ophelia is not Shakespeare's, but a parallel character, or perhaps she is Shakespeare's Ophelia, but she is living in modern day. This would give me the freedom to write her words without feeling overshadowed by iambic pentameter.
As I continue to think through these things, and perhaps begin to try them out, I will continue posting my thoughts. Thanks for reading them.
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