Project by: Aidhan Farley Astrachan (10th Grade)
Project Advisor: Meghan Farley Astrachan
Student(s)’s Advisor(s): Michele Blackwell
After studying several monologues, I chose to focus on two very distinct pieces, one classic, and one modern that hasn’t even been published yet. I performed the Cassius monologue for the school’s Shakespeare Competition. I had the opportunity to see a performance of The Lifespan of a Fact on Broadway starring Bobby Cannavale and Daniel Radcliffe and met them after the show. I was impressed by Jim’s Rant performed by Daniel Radcliffe and decided to reach out to one of the writers, Jeremy Kereken to ask him for the script of the monologue. He very nicely shared it with me.
Julius Ceasar by William Shakespeare, Cassius’ Monologue, Act 1 Scene 3
The Lifespan of a Fact by Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell, and Gordon Farrell, Jim’s Rant
Please write a description of the project you are proposing. Why do you want to take this on, and what do you hope to learn?
I want to read and analyze monologues from plays and create pieces for performance.
Critical thinking, creativity, citizenship and courage are essential LREI learning values. Explain how you’ll draw on at least one of these values to complete your proposed project?
I will draw on critical thinking and creativity to analyze the texts, and will draw on courage to perform the monologues.
What is your proposed outcome? How will you be able to demonstrate successful completion of this Project? How do you plan to share your learnings with the larger LREI community (e.g., exhibit of work, poster of learnings, performance, etc.)?
I can either perform them for my grade, the entire school live, or they can be filmed and shown.
Please provide a general outline that indicates your work plan for the trimester? What are some of the key project benchmarks (i.e., goals that will help to ensure that you finish the project)?
First, I will research certain monologues from plays that I am interested in. Second, I will select 2-3 monologues that I want to dig deeper into. Third, I will analyze them with the teacher. Fourth, I will read the full play to know what the character is like throughout the entire play. Fifth, I will memorize them. Sixth I will stage and perform them.
When do you plan on meeting?
Friday X-block or Friday lunch, depending on my basketball schedule.
Hi Aidhan:
This sounds like a good plan but I’m curious to know if you’ve identified any particular plays and resources that you want to explore? Please add some of these ideas to your proposal if already known or discussed with your teacher.
This proposal meets my approval, best of luck with your study.
Thanks,
Michele
Proposal approved.
Today’s meeting 1/18:
Discuss trajectory of project.
Review proposal. Create realistic time line, benchmarks, and product to share.
Begin research of plays of interest and monologue selections.
I went to see the play “The Lifespan of a Fact” on Broadway at Studio 54 and was inspired by two of the characters, John D’Agata an essayist, and Jim Fingal his fact checker. I am interested in doing a monologue from this play. It’s a new play and hasn’t been published yet.
I researched the playwright and there are three of them, which is unusual for a play. Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell and Gordon Farrell.
Jeremy Kareken lives in New York. I found a contact for him and would like to email him.
Letter draft to Jeremy Karaken:
Hello Jeremy Kareken,
I am a sophomore at LREI Elisabeth Irwin High School in the Village and I am doing an Honors Project on monologue study. I recently saw your show on Broadway, “The Lifespan of a Fact” and wanted to focus on a monologue from the play. I did some research and realized that the script is not yet published. I loved the many rants between D’Agata and Fingal and was wondering if you could send me a monologue from one or both of them?
Sincerely,
Aidhan Farley Astrachan
He responded!
“Thanks for writing! I’ll dig up a good monologue for you.”
It was a very fast reply and hopefully he gives me a good one. In the mean time, I will be focusing on my Shakespeare monologue.
Since I hadn’t heard from the playwright, I emailed him again reminding him I still existed. He responded and sent me one of Jim’s monologues. That was one of my favorite ones when I saw the play and I can’t wait to work on it.
To update you with the Shakespeare that I’ve been working on the past few weeks:
Joan gave me 7 different monologues that she thought could be of interest to me. After reading them, I selected a Cassius monologue from “Julius Caesar”, Act 1, Scene 3. I studied and watched videos of my monologue and of the play. I broke up the monologue into different sections and analyzed ever line. I memorized the monologue practicing it many, many times in order to get it down, yet I still managed to mess up a line on the final day. As I was memorizing, I also selected a sonnet that was profoundly different from the character of Cassius. I chose Sonnet 23 because while reading the first line it talks about an actor on stage, which intrigued me. I knew I was going to do this sonnet even before I had read its entirety. I had never read Shakespeare’s sonnets before. Since I didn’t need to memorize the sonnet, I worked on gestures and physical actions with the paper in my hand. I realized that having to hold the paper became an impediment to my performance, so I came up with the idea of taping the paper to a musical stand. I competed with these two pieces in the National Shakespeare Competition. I didn’t win. Maybe next year.