"A Midsummer Night's Dream": The Director's Cut Organizer

Questions	Important Lines (Evidence)	Suggestions for Acting (gesture, movement, stage business, tone of voice)
Who are these characters? Peter Quince: the carpenter Snug: the joiner Nick Bottom: the weaver Francis Flute: the bellows-mender Tom Snout: the tinker Robin Starveling: the tailor	- “…Nick Bottom, the weaver?” (Shakespeare 1.2.7) - “Francis Flute, the bellows-mender?” (1.2.14) - “Robin Starveling, the tailor?” (1.2.24) - “…Tom Snout, the tinker?” (1.2.26) - “…Snug the joiner,” (1.2.28)	Peter Quince: major character, speaks a lot, presents the actors their roles, strong tone of voice, gestures to each actor when telling them their role, tough and does not let actors choose their roles, very informative Snug: minor character, nervous tone of voice, scared to memorize his lines, moves around unconfidently, seeking attention and importance Nick Bottom: major character, most important, orders others around, strong tone of voice, in control, thinks he is better than everyone else, self-absorbent, handsome, moves continuously and has many gestures towards the cast, talks a lot Francis Flute: somewhat major character, seeks importance, argues about playing the role of a woman, loses the argument, upset and disappointed tone of voice, gestures several times to cast members while arguing Tom Snout: minor character, speaks very little, does not argue, does not have a lot of stage business, normal tone of voice
What are they doing? The characters in this scene all meet together at Peter Quince’s house to figure out what roles they have been cast in and to rehearse for the play, The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe. Quince reads from a list of all the men in Athens that are capable of acting in the play they plan to perform for Theseus and Hippolyta on their wedding night.	- “Is all our company here?” (1.2.1) - “Here is the scroll of every man’s name which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his wedding night.” (1.2.3) - “Marry, our play is The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe.” (1.2.5) - “…Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the scroll – Masters, spread yourselves.” (1.2.6)	- All unite together at Quince’s house - Act excited to see one another - Quince must read the roles very loudly and confidently - Make it clear this play is to be performed in front of Theseus and Hippolyta - Make sure each actor knows their role - Several different reactions to the roles given must be expressed, such as disappointed or happiness
Do these characters know each other well or are they strangers?  These characters do know each other well because they all meet within the house of Quince. They all seem rather comfortable with each other since they continuously argue about who fits certain roles best. They also feel comfortable enough to speak rudely towards one another, which is not an interaction strangers would commonly act upon.	- “Is all our company here?” (1.2.1) - “Nay, faith, let me not play a woman. I have a beard coming.” (1.2.19) - “No, no. You must play Pyramus – And Flut, you Thisbe.” (1.2.22) - “…and so grow to a point.” (1.2.4)	- Must act like they have known each other for a long time - Be comfortable around each other - Bring up information they know about one another - Gesture towards one another in a friendly way - Move around the stage in a friendly manor - Joke around with each other
Who is the most important person on stage in this dramatic unit or scene?  The most important person on stage in this dramatic scene is Bottom because he bosses Quince around by telling him the order in which he should present the information. Also, Bottom constantly states that he has the capability of playing every single role. However, Quince would not allow him to play each part since he believes that the role of Pyramus suits him the best. The reason for this is because Pyramus is thought to be a very handsome man, which Bottom is. Bottom also acts like he is in charge of the other actors and is very controlling towards them.	- “First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow to a point.” (1.2.4) - “An I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too!” (1.2.21) - “Let me play the lion too. I will roar, that I will do any man’s heart good to hear me.” (1.2.31) - “You can play no part but Pyramus. For Pyramus is a sweet-faced man, a proper man as one shall see in a summer’s day, a most lovely, gentlemanlike man. Therefore you must needs play Pyramus.” (1.2.35) - “Enough. Hold, or cut bowstrings.” (1.2.42)	- Must be very strong in his voice when ordering Quince around - Act like he is better than everyone else - Act self-absorbent - Move around continuously - Gesture towards his cast members while talking to them - Make sure he is always in control
What other characters – if any – are attempting to establish their importance?  Are they successful? Flute establishes his own importance when he argues with Quince about being cast as Thisbe, Pyramus’ lover. Flute does not want to play the role of a woman, but would much rather play the role of a knight on a quest. Unfortunately, he loses his argument with Quince and remains cast as Thisbe. Snug establishes his own importance since he asks for his script early because it takes him a long time to memorize information. Snug sets himself apart from the rest of the cast to create a sense of importance.	- “What is Thisbe? A wandering knight?” (1.2.17) - “Nay, faith, let me not play a woman. I have a beard coming.” (1.2.19) - “That’s all one. You shall play it in a mask, and you may speak as small as you will.” (1.2.20) - “Have you the lion’s part written? Pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.” (1.2.29)	- Flute must act upset when he finds out he has to play the role of a woman - Must use an angry tone of voice in order to get his point across - Must use several different gestures while arguing - Snug must act nervous when he finds out he has to memorize lines - Must come across as an unconfident individual who is not comfortable with acting - Shyly gesture towards his cast members and barely move across the stage
What are the other characters in the scene like?  The other characters in this scene are very minor due to the fact that they receive their role and accept it. They do not argue or make accommodations with Quince like Bottom, Flute, or Snug did.	- “Here, Peter Quince.” (1.2.25-27) - “Robin Starveling, you must play Thisbe’s mother.” (1.2.26) - “You, Pyramus’ father…Snug the joiner, you, the lion’s part.” (1.2.28)	- Barely gesture - Barely move across the stage - Say about one line - Do not attract attention - Stay quiet behind the scenes - Do not take attention away from the major characters - Normal tone of voice
What are the comic (or sad, tragic, suspenseful, etc) moments in this scene?  The comic moments in this scene are when they say they will scare the ladies when the lion roars and when Snug asks for his lines when he is playing a lion that does not speak. A suspenseful moment is when Bottom says he will make his performance so believable that the entire audience will cry.	- “An you should do it too terribly, you would fright the duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek. And that were enough to hang us all.” (1.2.32) - “…But I will aggravate my voice so that I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove. I will roar you an ‘twere any nightingale.” (1.2.34) - “Have you the lion’s part written? Pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.” (1.2.29) - “That will ask some tears in the true performing of it…I will move storms. I will condole in some measure.” (1.2.12)	- Make sure the comic scene comes across funny, and not rude - Smile during the comic scene - Gesture towards the audience when making a joke as a cue for them to laugh - Humorous tone of voice - Make sure the suspenseful scene remains serious - Gesture towards cast members and audience to create suspense - Serious tone of voice