All the World's a Stage!
From a Shakespeare devotee after his first dose of TNT "I've found my new fix!"
How does TNT continue to dish up a fresh interpretation of what can be a stale canon of literature that's been around for nearly 500 years? Here's a peak at TNT's magic formula.
First, we read the text and actually look up the words in an old dictionary. Understanding what you are saying helps immensely. Experts agree that people get only 7% of the meaning of a word from hearing the word spoken. Add Emotion or tone and the comprehension jumps to 45%. Finally body language makes up the lion's share of 55% of what is understood. In order to be understood, you must first understand.
Next we try to grasp the real principles that have made Shakespeare's works so enduring. He captures human fallicies and emotions with stuning clarity. As performers if we can grasp what each character wants our job becomes easy.
When we are working on a script we look at the current world and try to make connections between then and now. I have read enough of the Bard to know that he would have been the first to update his script to fi in a current joke or play on words. He also would have been the first to cut a joke that had gone stale becsaue the context was no longer relative.
Finally we don't skip the singing and dancing most stagings of Shakespeare cut out and add abit of our our TNT magic with what has cmoe to be TNT's signature oening & closing numbers. A dash of underscoring in jus tthe right palces changes a ho hum reciting of a passage to an epic srtaging of a classic.
Oh and we work hard. Very hard. All TNT cast members apply Stephen Covey's 7 priniples of highly effective people in their lives which allows them to prioritize and keep their lives in balance while changing the world fpr the better and getting to know the Bard.
The more you know, the more there is to love about the Bard and TNT knows their Bard. Besides competing every fall in the Utahn Shakespeare Festival's National High School competition, we've also adapted 5 of his plays and written an original play about his relativity to comtempory High school students called Shakespeare 101: or Passing the Bard.
We've performed for thousands of Shakespere enthusiasts and garnered some serious awards. It's always delightgful to hear generous comments from either surprised first time attenders or the loyal fans who have come for years who have enjoyed the show.
All the World's a Stage