teachers notes - Merrigong Theatre Company

TEACHERS NOTES
Compiled by Henrietta Stathopoulos
(MA BA Dip Ed)
©2010
CONTENTS
HOW TO USE THESE TEACHING NOTES ...................................................3
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS .................................................................4
WHO ARE CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER, MERRIGONG THEATRE CO AND
RICHARD JORDAN PRODUCTIONS? .........................................................7
THE Q BROTHERS & THEIR DIRECTORIAL VISION................................... 10
CAST AND ARTISTIC TEAM .................................................................. 11
LANGUAGE ........................................................................................ 15
USE OF MUSIC................................................................................... 19
WHAT IS HIP HOP AND HOW TO WRITE IT............................................. 20
INTRODUCTION TO THE ORIGINAL SOURCE, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
AND HOW FUNK IT UP ABOUT NOTHIN’ APPROPRIATES IT ....................... 22
CHARACTERS .................................................................................... 24
ISSUES AND THEMES ......................................................................... 26
LINKS TO SHAKESPEARE..................................................................... 29
PERFORMANCE PHOTOS AND ACTIVITIES .............................................. 30
CHARACTERISATION .......................................................................... 30
SET DESIGN AND LIGHTING ................................................................ 30
COSTUMES........................................................................................ 30
POSTER & PROGRAM DESIGN .............................................................. 30
THE Q BROTHERS – INSIGHTS ............................................................. 37
REVIEWS .......................................................................................... 39
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR BOTH DRAMA AND ENGLISH CLASSES ........ 41
TOPICS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION ..................................................... 47
BIBLIOGRAPHY/RESOURCES ................................................................ 48
APPENDICES: SCRIPT, PRESS ARTICLES
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HOW TO USE THESE NOTES
This teachers' guide presents a series of notes, strategies and activities to use when
presenting Funk it up About Nothin’ to high school students in Years 9 - 12. There are some
suggested teaching activities suitable for before and during study of the original text
(Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing) and seeing a performance of Funk it Up About
Nothin’. There are also some suggested post-performance activities. Teachers should choose
those that match their teaching style and the needs and interests of their students.
Drama, along with other areas of the creative arts, can be used to support learning through
integration with a variety of key learning areas. These opportunities provide students with the
opportunity to explore ideas and issues in a meaningful and realistic manner. Drama, in
particular, has been considered to assist with the development of self esteem, communication
skills, problem-solving abilities, and in the development of focus and team-building through
fun activities.
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CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
Critical Study of Texts is designed to nurture enjoyment and appreciation of significant texts.
Students refine their interpretation by testing their perspective against the perspective of
others. During this process students consider aspects of the text that they may not have
considered previously, thereby deepening their own understanding and sharpening their
personal view of the text’s value and its meaning. Module B of the NSW Board of Studies
English Syllabus Advanced Course deals with questions of textual integrity, significance and
value. Textual integrity is defined as:
The unity of a text; its coherent use of form and language to produce an integrated
whole in terms of meaning and value.
Evaluating a text in terms of its textual integrity requires the students to consider the features
and elements of a text and the extent to which it may possess an overall unity integrated
structure and unifying concept. Students’ close analysis helps them to evaluate how these
features and elements function in different ways, leading to the consideration of the text’s
overall coherence and complexity. In this way, they arrive at a sense of the text’s
distinctiveness and ensuring, or potentially enduring, value.
Things to consider:

Personal engagement

Development of knowledge and understanding of the prescribed text

Development of an informed response

Articulation of an informed personal response and understanding
A critical comparison of the ways the viewer has been positioned in two versions of a play
certainly brings to life the words on the page and offers a way into Shakespeare’s texts.
How does the contemporising of the original source text change the impact of the narrative
and the language, in the transformation of theatrical poetry to teen-screenplay crudity?
An intertextual comparison might focus on specific scenes, such as the meeting of Beatrice
and Benedick in the two versions of Much Ado about Nothing / Funk It Up About Nothin’.
After a close investigation of the original language and hip-hop versions of the play, English
students can be asked to produce design concepts, including scripting alternative scenes that
challenge mainstream theatre narratives or representations.
Students could do some cross-curricular work with the music and/or drama department to
create or record scenes.
Adaptation and Transformation
(Taken from an article written by Greta Caruso. Referenced in the Bibliography)
Adaptation of a story or text from one medium to another is a common practice among film &
TV writers and producers. Many stories/texts have been adapted across a wide variety of
media, for example, Mary Shelley’s story of Frankenstein. Originally it was a fictional novel,
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but it has been adapted into a movie, radio play, cartoon serial/graphic novel, TV series, rock
video, computer game, comic book, rock opera, etc..
While the traditional adaptation of novel to film still remains a primary form, the growth of
new media and the subsequent marketing opportunities have resulted in a more diverse range
of text adaptations. Increasingly, it is common practice that a story or concept is released in a
range of media, without a primary form.
Adaptations are frequently motivated by commercial interest and a whole industry has grown
up around the notion of interpreting texts for media and merchandising so as to thoroughly
exploit the value of the concept. Alternately, transformation into other mediums can breathe
new life into a concept and new audiences can be uncovered.
English teachers could consider using visual media as the initial stimulus to introduce a story
before asking students to read the original text. The value of this method is that students
engage with multimodal literacies and visual images that convey immediate meaning/s about
a story concept.
The visual or mediated image can be deconstructed so that students understand how and why
it represents the story. Static images can be deconstructed and related to the story through
analysis of the medium used, the placement of elements in the composition, the style of
representation, the symbolism of colour, line, shape and the contexts of why, when and where
it was made and by whom. Mediated images can be analysed through the technical and
expressive elements of image, sound and text.
One of the key challenges for English teachers and students is to consider how the meaning of
text changes when the form changes. To help students consider this challenge, teachers
should frame questions for students to consider the audience, accessibility, the impact of a
text, and the way it is received, perceived and remembered.
Literal adaptations
Direct adaptations usually occur from novel to film and where the novel is a much beloved
canonical classic; there is great attachment to the text in its original form. In many instances
the film maker exerts a tendency to try to represent the text as safely and faithfully as
possible. This tendency for literal adaptation is strong in highly literary texts such as the works
of Dickens and Shakespeare, where the exact words on the page are highly valued and exist
as a public expectation. Diversions and departures from the expectation of a word-perfect
rendering are sometimes accepted by audiences, but not without public comment and
adjustment.
Considerations for the classroom
In dealing with adaptation and transformation, students should define the following terms:

interpretation and meaning-making

intertextuality

influence

technique

form
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
medium

authorship

audience and reception

comparison

evaluation

primary and subsequent text

homage

appropriation

creativity

plagiarism
A grid for considering Adaptations and Transformations:
Original
Adaptation
Primary text.
Secondary text.
Direct from author to audience.
From author via interpreter to audience.
Audience is able to see the text for itself, perhaps make
their own mind up.
Text has been interpreted, selected, possibly predigested. Interpreter overlays the meanings that they
want.
Composed at an earlier date.
Transformed/Adapted at a later date.
Makes use of the communication technology available at
the time.
May make use of communication technology or forms
not available at the time of the original.
May have a limited or specialised audience.
May open up the text for new audiences.
Usually the text would not have had a social status while
it was in composition and possibly only gained status
after its publication.
The text may have gained status after its original
publication, possibly becoming “well-known”, “famous”
or even “a classic” long after it was published.
Conceptions of audience may be limited, possibly by
seemingly simple factors such as literacy.
The text may be produced with a particular audience in
mind, or may be produced with a very broad audience.
The purpose of the production of the text may be known
or unknown.
The production of the text in its adapted form may be
related to a clearly identified purpose. These might be
intellectual i.e. to spread the word about how good the
original is; fiscal i.e. to make money; or a combination
of other reasons.
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WHO IS CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER?
Recipient of the 2008 Regional Theatre Tony Award, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST)
offers a broad spectrum of theatrical experiences year-round, engaging and entertaining
audiences from all walks of life and from around the world. Since moving to its state-of-the-art
facility on Navy Pier in 1999, CST has garnered great acclaim under the leadership of Artistic
Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, including three Laurence
Olivier Awards and more than 30 Joseph Jefferson Awards. Next season, Chicago Shakespeare
will celebrate its 25th anniversary.
The 38-play canon of William Shakespeare forms the core of CST’s work and subscription
series, complemented by other dramatic works—from traditional classical theatre to new
classics that resonate with Shakespeare’s timeless insights into the human condition. Through
a 48-week season encompassing more than 600 performances, Chicago Shakespeare leads
the community as the largest employer of Chicago actors. CST also contributes to an
international community of creative exchange through its World’s Stage Series, which affords
Chicago audiences prime opportunities to experience the cultural and artistic traditions of
some of the world’s iconic theatre troupes as well as sending some of CST’s best works
abroad. Chicago Shakespeare is committed to making theatre an expansive, ever-changing
and lifelong relationship. For our family audiences, CST Family presents abridged Shakespeare
productions, timeless fables and fairy tales, interactive music concerts and world-premiere
musical theatre created with families in mind. Our education outreach program, Team
Shakespeare, has served over 1 million students and teachers throughout the Midwest,
introducing the Bard’s legacy to a new generation of theatregoers.
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WHO IS MERRIGONG THEATRE COMPANY?
Merrigong Theatre Company manages one of Australia’s busiest, most dynamic, regional
venues - Illawarra Performing Arts Centre in Wollongong, about an hour south of Sydney.
Merrigong is also a vibrant theatre company in its own right – producing, presenting and
touring exciting contemporary theatre and supporting the development of a wide range of
independent theatre-makers. The company presents a diverse annual season of theatre, dance
and children’s programming, offering some 30 different productions. Under Artistic Director /
CEO, Simon Hinton, in 2006 Merrigong began producing full-scale productions in-house for its
subscription season and in 2008 began to regularly tour work to other venues around the
country. In 2009, Merrigong undertook its first Australian tour of an overseas production,
Kahlil Ashanti’s US hit comedy Basic Training, which toured to 13 venues across Australia.
That tour and the subsequent 2010 tour of Canadian Rick Miller’s MacHomer, were both
produced in association with Merrigong’s London-based producing partner, Richard Jordan
Productions. The company is delighted to again be working with Richard, co-producing this
new touring version of Funk It Up About Nothin’ with the acclaimed Chicago Shakespeare
Theater.
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WHO IS RICHARD JORDAN PRODUCTIONS LTD?
Richard Jordan is a British-based theatre producer and the managing director of Richard
Jordan Productions Ltd, a busy London and international award-winning production and
theatre general management company. He has produced over one hundred productions and
presented plays and musicals in his native UK and 15 other countries, enjoying associations
with many of the world’s leading producing theatres and organisations. His past Australian
productions include: MacHomer: The Simpsons do Macbeth and Basic Training, both produced
with Merrigong Theatre Company; Bigger than Jesus; Believe; The Smile Off Your Face; Once
And For All We’re Gonna Tell You Who We Are So Shut Up And Listen; Berkoff’s Women;
Heroin(e) for Breakfast; and Die Roten Punkte - The Robot/Lion Tour and Kunst Rock.
Richard serves on the boards of the UK's New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich and the Oxford
Playhouse. He is an associate for Theatre Royal Haymarket Productions, and associate artist of
the Bush Theatre in London. He is a UK associate for New York’s Primary Stages and Perry
Street Theatres, a creative consultant for Teatros Artes, Brazil’s largest chain of independently
owned theatres, and the international producing partner with Merrigong Theatre Company,
managers of Wollongong's Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, one of Australia's busiest and
most dynamic regional venues. In 2008 Richard was nominated for the Theatrical Managers
Association/Stage Award for Achievement in UK Regional Theatre. He has been listed for five
years in the UK’s The Stage Newspaper Top 100 British Theatre Professionals, and is the only
producer to be named in the 2008 and 2009 UK editions of the Who’s Who of Britain’s
Business Elite: Young Business Leaders. In 2009 Richard was a finalist in the British Council’s
first-ever young performing arts entrepreneur award, and in 2010 he became one of the new
entries for ongoing inclusion in AC & Black’s Who’s Who.
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THE Q BROTHERS & THEIR DIRECTORIAL VISION
The Q Brothers
Creators and Directors of Funk It Up About Nothin’.
What does this picture imply about these two guys?
We love Shakespeare.
But we didn’t always. When you’re a kid, reading something in English that feels like a foreign
language can be tough. We (and I’m sure many of you) were discouraged by our first
attempts at reading Shakespeare. But he was a brilliant clown. For all his fanciful language,
his plays are filled with ribaldry. And when it really clicks for you, it can change your life.
For us, it took peering at this classic literature through the lens of modern music and culture.
The inevitable question we always get is: why hip-hop? The simple answer is - we love that,
too! Luckily for us, it also happens to be a perfect marriage. The musicality and rhythm of the
language of both Shakespeare and hip-hop are quite close in many ways. As Julie Taymor
wrote about our first play, The Bomb-itty of Errors, “You may wonder what rap has to do with
Shakespeare, but if the Bard were alive today he might well be a rapper.” MC Shakes would
have been our favourite rapper.
Our goal is to put Shakespeare in the hands of everyone, from profs to pimps to punks to
poets. If the hip-hop heads leave with a deeper appreciation of Shakespeare, and the
Bardophiles find some love for rap, and everybody laughs, then our mission is complete.
Welcome to our second instalment of The Complete (Hip-Hop) Works of William Shakespeare.
Enjoy!
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CAST
JILLIAN BURFETE HERO/LIL BOI
Jillian makes her Chicago Shakespeare Theater debut. Recent theater credits include Almost
Maine (The Gift Theatre Company) and QED (Etopia Productions, Northwestern University).
Film credits include Ron Howard’s The Dilemma. She performs improv regularly at iO with her
harold team, The Bird and the Bison, at The Gift Theatre Company with Natural Gas, and with
The Album. Jillian has studied with the School at Steppenwolf, the Second City Conservatory
and iO. She received her B.A. in English from Western Carolina University.
DORAN CLAUDIO/JUDGE
Jackson makes his Chicago Shakespeare Theater debut. Chicago credits include: Gross
Indecency (Bohemian Theatre Ensemble). Regional credits include: Lady Windermere’s Fan,
Yes No Maybe So, A Christmas Carol, The Crucible (Milwaukee Repertory Theater); I Hate
Hamlet (New Court Theater, Wisconsin); Equus, Kinnick, Beauty Queen of Leenane and The
Goat (Riverside Theatre, Iowa).
POSTELL PRINGLE VERGES/DON PEDRO
Postell makes his Chicago Shakespeare Theater debut. Chicago credits include The Bomb-itty
of Errors (Royal George Theatre Center). Off Broad-way credits include The Seven (New York
Theatre Workshop); Romeo and Juliet (Lucille Lortel Theatre); Song for New York (Mabou
Mines) and Hoodoo Love (Cherry Lane Theatre).Off Off Broadway credits include Lobby Hero
(The Gallery Players) and Hercules in High Suburbia (La Mama E.T.C.). Regional and touring
credits include: The Old Settler (Triad Stage); The Seven (La Jolla Playhouse);A Soldier’s Play
(Arkansas Repertory Theatre); Master Harold and the Boys (Fleetwood Stage Company);The
Bomb-itty of Errors (American Stage Theatre); A Guided Consideration of a Lamentable Deed
(HB Playwrights Theatre) and Macbeth (American Shakespeare Center). Film credits include
Unknown Soldier, Just Another Story, The Edge of Town and Orange Bow. Television credits
include Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC) and Guiding Light (CBS).
GQ DON JOHN/LEONATO/DINGLEBERRY
GQ makes his Chicago Shakespeare Theater debut. He co-created and starred in the Off
Broadway smash hit The Bomb-itty of Errors, which has since toured around the world. Along
with his brother and the other Bomb-itty guys, G wrote and starred in a hip-hop/sketch
comedy TV show, Scratch and Burn (MTV). G’s screen credits include the movies Drumline,
Taxi, I Think I Love My Wife and Werner Herzog’s Rescue Dawn. He wrote, directed and
starred in the film Just Another Story (Showtime), has had prominent roles in Boston Public
(Fox), Numbers (CBS) and co-starredin the one-hour drama Johnny Zero (Fox). He recently
guest starred in John Herzfeld’s pilot, S.I.S (Sony). Together with his brother, he recorded The
Feel Good Album of the Year. Originally from Chicago, he received his BFA from the
Experimental Theatre Wing of Tisch School of the Arts at NYU.
JQ BENEDICK/BORACHIO
JQ makes his Chicago Shakespeare Theater debut. Born and raised in Chicago, he made his
Off Broadway debut when he laid down the beats as DJ/Composer for The Bomb-itty of Errors.
Along with the Bomb-itty guys, J wrote and starred in the hip-hop/sketch comedy TV show,
Scratch and Burn (MTV). For his brother’s film, Just Another Story (Showtime), he created the
score and original soundtrack. J produced the solo hip-hop album Foul Mouth Poet under his
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moniker J.A.Q., and other albums including Smashing (The Grommits) The Good Thief (Postell), Go Strong And Call It Awesome! (Stop, Revolt) and The Feel Good Album Of The Year (Q
Brothers). He is currently the lead singer of Them vs. Them, a Chicago rock band, and co-host
(with oldest brother TQ) of Smallflower TV, a video blog about natural health and body care
based on Merz Apothecary, the family business. This summer, he and G will run “The Q
Brothers One-Stop-Hip-Hop-Happy-Hour Workshop” for the Kid’s Stage at Lollapalooza.
ERIKA RATCLIFF MC LADY B/ BIG JOHN
Erika returns with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where her credits include Short
Shakespeare! The Taming of the Shrew. Chicago credits include: Talented Tenth, African
Company Presents Richard III, 365 Days/365 Plays (Congo Square Theatre Company); Stick
Fly (Black Alliance Theater, BTA Award—Featured Actress); Black Diamond: The Year the
Locusts Have Eaten, Around the World in 80 Days (Lookingglass Theatre Company); The
Nutcracker (House Theatre of Chicago); Court Martial at Fort Devens (Victory Gardens
Theater);Sketchbook (Collaboraction)and Mr. Puntilla and His Man Matti (Strawdog Theatre
Company). She is an ensemble member at Congo Square Theatre Company.
ADRIENNE SANCHEZ DJ
Adrienne makes her Chicago Shakespeare Theater debut. Chicago credits include regular and
guest DJ appearances at House of Blues Hotel, Zentra, The Note, Sonotheque, The Safehouse,
Uptown Lounge, Betty’s Blue Star and Lava Lounge. She has performed at large-scale events
such as Sunset Junction (Los Angeles, California); Victoria Electronic Music Festival (British
Columbia, Canada); Winter Music Conference (Miami, Florida) as well as gigs across the US
and Mexico. Television appearances include guest spots on MTV Canada and ESPN’s annual,
nationally aired Slam Dunk Contest as part of the NBA All-Star Weekend.
The cast of FUNK IT UP ABOUT NOTHIN’ is appearing with the permission of the
Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance.
ARTISTIC TEAM
BRIAN SIDNEY BEMBRIDGE SET DESIGN
Brian returns with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where his design credits include Sunday In
the Park with George and Romeo and Juliet (at CST and on NEA tour). Other Chicago credits
include work at Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Court Theatre, The Second
City, The Chicago Theatre, Writers’ Theatre, Timeline Theatre Company (Artistic Associate),
Lookingglass Theatre Company (Production Affiliate), Uma Productions(Artistic Associate),
Teatro Vista (Artistic Associate),Drury Lane Theatre and Victory Gardens Theater. Regional
credits include work at The Guthrie Theater, Arden Theatre Company, Milwaukee Repertory
Theater, Madison Repertory Theatre, Opera Omaha, Virginia Opera and Circle X Theater Co.
He has received multiple Joseph Jefferson, After Dark, Los Angeles Drama Critic Circle,
Garland, and LA Weekly awards. He was named one of the top nine emerging designers in
North America by Entertainment Design magazine. Production design credits include Wallace
Shawn’s Marie and Bruce, Holding Out, Manfast, Stray Dogs and Late for Church. He also
designed sets for the movie Muppets from Space.
DEBBIE BAER COSTUME DESIGN
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Debbie makes her Chicago Shakespeare Theater debut. Chicago design credits include: First
Look Repertory of New Work, Huck Finn (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); The Attempters,
The Nutcracker,Dave DaVinci Saves the Universe (The House Theatreof Chicago); Cadillac
(Chicago Dramatists); Aqui Estoy, God’s Work, Number 9, Leaves Growing Trees(Albany Park
Theater Project); The Busy World Is Hushed (Next Theatre Company); The Puppetmaster of
Lodz (Writers’ Theatre) and Young Lady from Rwanda (Victory Gardens Theater).Regional and
Off Broadway credits include When the Messenger Is Hot (59E59 Theaters) and The Neverending Story (First Stage Children’s Theatre). She was an invited designer at the Lincoln
Center Directors Lab and is a company member of The House Theatre of Chicago.
TOBY KNYVETT LIGHTING DESIGN
Toby makes his Chicago Shakespeare Theatre debut. Merrigong credits include Death in
Bowengabbie, 4 Plays About Wollongong, The No Chance in Hell Hotel, As I Lay Dreaming,
Lost and Found - The Sugar CandyShow & Thieves Like Us. Other Australian credits include:
As I lay Dreaming, Project: ALICE, The Country, and The Wild Boys. Toby is a lighting
designer, vision designer and production manager. He also develops and programs his own
interactive performance systems, most recently used in Feedback, a show which explored how
physical expression can generate digital choreography. In 2009 he completed a Masters in
Theatre - his final work was the development of a system which allowed digital projectors to
be fully utilised as lighting design tools alongside conventional lights, integrating tracking
cameras and a Wii remote control so that light could be ‘drawn’ onto bodies.
MELLISSA VEAL WIG AND MAKEUP DESIGN
Chicago Shakespeare Theater design credits include: The Comedy of Errors, Short
Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Passion, Cymbeline, Troilus and Cressida, The Three
Musketeers, Short Shakespeare! The Taming of the Shrew, The Two Noble Kinsmen, Hamlet,
Hecuba, A Flea in Her Ear, Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 (at CST and at the Royal Shakespeare
Company, Stratford-upon-Avon), Much Ado About Nothing, Short Shakespeare! Macbeth, The
Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet, Measure for Measure, The Merry Wives of Windsor,
King John, The Molière Comedies, A Little Night Music, Rose Rage: Henry VI, Parts 1, 2 and 3
(at CST and The Duke on 42nd Street), The Taming of the Shrew, Julius Caesar, and wig
supervisor for The Schoolfor Scandal. Canadian credits include: 10 seasons with the Stratford
Festival, where she was the recipient of four Tyrone Guthrie Awards, including the Jack Hutt
Humanitarian Award; Canadian Stage Company, Canadian Opera Company, Tarragon Theatre,
Mirvish Productions, The Citadel Theatre, and longtime association with The Grand Theatre in
London.
BOB MASON CASTING
Bob is in his eighth season as casting director at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where his
classical credits cover more than two-thirds of Shakespeare’s canon, including thirteen
productions with Artistic Director Barbara Gaines. Other CST productions of note include a
quartet of Stephen Sondheim musicals (Pacific Overtures, Sunday in the Park with George, A
Little Night Music and Passion) directed by Gary Griffin, as well as Rose Rage: Henry VI Parts
1, 2 & 3 (director Edward Hall) and The Molière Comedies (director Brian Bedford). Additional
Chicago casting credits include: the Sondheim/Hal Prince premiere of Bounce (Goodman
Theatre and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts); The Good War, The Immigrant
(Northlight Theatre); The Boys Are Comin’ Home, Asphalt Beach (Northwestern University’s
American Music Theatre Project); and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Royal George
Cabaret). Prior to casting, Bob enjoyed a 15-year career as a Jeff Award-winning Chicago
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actor and singer and has been a visiting educator for the School at Steppenwolf and Northwestern University.
ANGELA M. ADAMS PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER
Angela returns with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where her credits include How Can You Run
with a Shell on Your Back? and CPS Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet. Other Chicago credits
include: The Talented Tenth (Congo Square Theatre Company); The Shakespeare Stealer, Still
Life with Iris (Vittum Theater); A Streetcar Named Desire (Village Players Theatre) and the
Gay Games Opening Ceremonies at Soldier Field (Jam Productions). Off Broadway credits
include: assistant sound designer for Go-Go Kitty Go (Theatre B); stage manager for The
Asphalt Kiss (Lord Strange Company); Kings (Verse Theatre Manhattan) and Second Summer
(Colleagues Theatre Company).
RICK BOYNTON
Rick oversees Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s New Classics program, in addition to focusing on
current and future artistic planning and production. The former artistic director of The Marriott
Theatre from 2000 to 2005, Mr. Boynton returned to CST, where he had previously been the
casting director/associate artistic director for five years. A multiple Jeff Award-winning actor,
he played Camille in the 2006 production of A Flea in Her Ear (Jeff Award, After Dark Award)
and has starred in numerous shows in Chicago and across the United States. As casting
director/associate at Jane Alderman Casting, his projects included: the television series Early
Edition, Missing Persons, Untouchables and ER; numerous films such as While You Were
Sleeping and Hoodlum, as well as casting for many national tours. He has lectured at his alma
mater, Northwestern University, and is the former vice-president on the board of the National
Alliance for Musical Theatre.
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LANGUAGE... SWEARING AND WHY?
Language
Even for the most experienced readers, language may be an issue when watching
Shakespeare's plays, but with a modern hip hop version it could be even more challenging as
you need to stay on top of all those lyrics! Audience members may become frustrated because
they do not understand every word in the text but this is not an issue as the performances
help to interpret the lines/lyrics.
Suggest to students that they need not understand every word to experience the action. You
can demonstrate this by giving students a brief passage from the play in which every third or
fourth word is blocked out. Ask students to read for the main idea and later compare this
passage to the original in the play. Ask: Do you understand what is happening even when you
do not know all the words?
Other elements of language students may miss are puns, innuendo and bawdy talk. Get them
to explore the rhythm and rhyme of hip hop and how this is used to further the action and
characterisation
Select one or two passages from the play. In pairs or small groups, have students interpret
what the words say and/or imply. To help students identify contemporary double layering of
language, you may want to brainstorm with them a few examples from popular culture: slang,
jokes, and cartoons. Have each group list as many contemporary examples as they can. These
should be shared with the class and explained.
NOTE: An additional benefit of carefully looking at several selected passages prior to reading
the play is that students will see that the language makes sense. They will also recognise the
passage and build on their knowledge of its meaning when they are reading it in context.
After students have shared their contemporary examples of double layering of language and
have analysed an example you selected from the play, they can either examine more
examples you provide or can search for examples on their own.
Compare the following language aspects of the original to the new version they have
just seen.
Pun
Shakespeare:
Messenger: And a good soldier too, lady.
Beatrice: And a good soldier to a lady. But what is he to a lord?
Messenger: A lord to a lord, a man to a man; stuffed with all honourable virtues.
Beatrice: It is so, indeed; he is no less than a stuffed man. But for the stuffing-well, we are all
mortal. (I, i, 51-57) [p. 35]
Clever word play
Shakespeare:
Benedick: What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?
Beatrice: Is it possible Disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed it as Signior
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Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to Disdain if you come in her presence. (I, i, 114-119)
[p. 37]
Innuendo and bawdy language
Shakespeare:
Leonato: By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee a husband if thou be so shrewd of thy
tongue.
Antonio: In faith, she's too curst.
Beatrice: Too curst is more than curst. I shall lessen God's sending that way, for it is said,
"God sends a curst cow short horns"; but to a cow too curst he sends none.
Leonato: So, by being too curst, God will send you no horns.
Beatrice: Just, if he send me no husband; for the which blessing I am at him upon my knees
every morning and evening. Lord, I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face. I
had rather lie in the woolen! (II, i, 18-31) [p. 49]
["Horns" in this passage is used as a phallus symbol. There are several other references to
horns made by Benedick referring to the horns of a cuckold (see I, i, 191; 231-233; 253-255).
Students may wonder about the prevalence of this joke about adultery and if it expresses a
common behaviour among spouses during Shakespeare's time. One critic suggests that the
cuckold was a metaphor for the changes in social and economic class relationships of the time.
In this view, the worry about becoming a cuckold expresses indirectly the anxiety the growing
merchant class felt about private property. Because of this economic connection the horns of
the cuckold are derived from beasts of burden, the horns of the ox and the horn-like ears of
the ass (Bruster, D., " The Horn of Plenty: Cuckoldry and Capital in the Age of Shakespeare,"
Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900, Vol. 30, No. 2, Spring 1990.]
After examining Shakespearean language, discuss with the students attitudes of the
seventeenth century towards sexuality, and how and why these attitudes have changed to in
the 21st Century.
After reading the play Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing and after watching
Funk it Up About Nothin’:
Critics make a distinction between low comedy and high comedy. Low comedy is the
boisterous, rowdy play of characters who often come from lower social classes; the language
of these social classes often includes dialect, lots of bawdy language, innuendo. This new
version contains a good deal of swearing, colloquial language, hip hop ‘idiom’ or slang, which
is appropriate for the setting and the issues it is presenting in 2011. This however can turn
some people off the production. Prepare a debate that explores the role of ‘appropriate
language’ in theatre and whether we as a society have become somewhat desensitised to ‘foul
language’ in this day and age.
Language warning for this production:
The production contains strong language (swearing), phrases alluding to swearing e.g. “I
funked it up” and sexual references, e.g. Hero: “My undies get wet...” (pg 36) or Hero:
“…been hit on even by Daddy” (pg 60).
16
Articles that deal with swearing onstage
Explore these articles and then discuss any comments underneath the article.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2008/feb/07/swearingonstageisntbigor
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/comedy/article5161
201.ece
http://www.thesaleslion.com/profanity-blogging-and-communication-etiquette-in-2010/
17
This is a very interesting reply via FACEBOOK
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=5615123779&topic=12694 and one every teacher
should read.
WARNING: IT CONTAINS VERY EXPLICIT SWEARING.
18
USE OF MUSIC
Funk It Up about Nothin’ is an exuberant hip-hop extravaganza, rapped to
the rhythm of six MCs and a DJ.
Adrienne Sanchez presides over the turntables above the stage as DJ, the
purveyor of the record hip-hop beat that propels the show, while performers
holler out their quick-fire lyrics.
The music is all original beats made by JQ and burned to CD's. The DJ then
manipulates the music live, scratches, and cues the music for each scene
using CD turntables. She has the control to pull the music out or put an
effect on the music to punctuate certain lines as well using a DJ mixer.
Which piece of music is being played during a specific scene has all been
predetermined. As she is listening to the play, she can punctuate moments through mixing
techniques. She is manipulating the prewritten music, but she is not composing. She is, in
fact, arranging live.
19
WHAT IS ‘HIP-HOP' STYLE AND HOW IT IS USED IN THEATRE?
Complete Guide to Writing Rap/Hip-Hop Lyrics
Reference: Posted in: Composition by William Campbell on February 13, 2008
A guide to writing hip-hop/rap lyrics, with pointers to improve your writing abilities.
The first thing you need to know to be successful at writing hip-hop/rap lyrics is flow. This is
the rhythm in which your words meet the instrumental. The best ways to distinguish your flow
is to listen to popular hip-hop songs, and use an MC’s flows as a reference. Always be original,
and don’t copy the flow from another song
Another important skill is rhyme scheme. This is the scheme of rhymes you use throughout
the song. For example, if in your first line/bar the lyrics are “I’m sicc with the mic/”, your next
line/bar will be something that not only rhymes, but rhymes in the same sequence. For
example “I’m sicc with the mic/I’m in a position to shine/”. Notice how the second bar the
rhyming is in the same pattern as the first. This is not required but makes the lines/bars mesh
together better. In some songs, the scheme stays the same throughout the whole song; in
others it changes frequently. It doesn’t matter whether it changes on not, as long as you use
the same scheme for four to eight lines/bars.
The topic of the song (what the song is about) is also vital. In most rap/hip-hop songs, the
key is to stay on topic. This not only makes the song sound better, but makes more sense for
your general audience. Remember, the song cannot only make sense to you; it has to make
sense to the people listening to it. Common hip-hop/rap topics include materialism, politics,
racism, violence, poverty and messages of hope.
Multies is a short term for multiple rhyming phrases. In the example I used above, (I’m sicc
with the mic/I’m in a position to shine/) the multies are “sicc with the mic/position to shine.”
Most skilled rappers use multies because it makes the scheme of their lyrics more appealing.
Also when done correctly it makes the flow easier to match with an instrumental. Multies are
commonly found at the end of lines/bars, but can be placed anywhere throughout verses.
Tips

To write a rap song, the best thing to do is write from your heart about things that you
have experienced in your life and would like sharing with the outside world. Writing a
rap song is about writing your feelings and expressing yourself in the best way you
can.

The hook should be something infectious and catchy. The hook is basically the chorus.
Like most of those songs listed, listen to the way the artist works with the beat to
create a hook and do the same with your beat.

Add flavour to the beats by including drum fills e.g. before the chorus or verse, add
additional bass and melody lines and make the song shine.

When creating a bass line, the bass might play a note on every kick of the drum beat.

A hi-hat can be good, because it keeps the song flowing and keeps the pace, but it's
optional.
20

If you don't have access to studio equipment, the following cheap packages can help
with your quest: FL Studio, MTV Music Generator, and HipHop eJay. However, the best
beats you can get are with a live band, so if you have friends who play guitar, bass,
drums, keyboards, or even brass, give them a call and try to get them involved. You
can also find beats online for free, on sites such as www.soundclick.com.

Don't show up to a battle in bad looking clothes or shoes, etc because that just makes
you more vulnerable to being a target for dissing. It may seem bizarre, but even if you
have a good flow, if you have an easily targetable appearance or quality, it can cost
you the battle.

Try to make it reflect a personal experience as that will give it more passion
Warnings about Rapping

Don't rap about personal things that are not true. While some people might take an "I
can rap about anything I want to!" attitude, it's best to really look at things before just
spitting out false trash. Trying to beef up your image without doing the "work" is
almost universally known as posing.

Also keep in mind that just because popular rappers write about that stuff, doesn't
make your raps any more or less "rap" by writing or not writing about similar things.
Remember that creativity and vision are often valued more by fans than image alone.

Don't listen to experts; listen to your heart...

It's always ok to have the knowledge to rap about anything, but remember you'll lose
respect and word will go out on the streets if you don't keep it real. Don't be fake with
it, just be real and have fun.

If your rap lyrics suggest someone that you're really not, then refrain from such lyrics.
For example, don't just take it all the way and say that you were born in the ‘hood, if
you really weren't. The more you expose your false lyrics, the less respect you will
gain. By just keeping the content simple, you can impress many more people.

If you really, really, really want to write a rap about something you don't do, make
sure you make them as ridiculous as possible. Buff up the braggadocio; exaggerate to
ridiculous levels. Don't do it often, and not in serious songs, but have fun with it.

Be careful, try not to make the rhythm of the song faster then you can rap, you could
end up rapping out gibberish!

Don’t diss other rappers until you are good at freestyle.
21
INTRODUCTION TO THE ORIGINAL SOURCE, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Much Ado About Nothing is a stage play in the form of a comedy centring on the activities of
two war heroes and the women they love. Shakespeare shifts back and forth between the
stories of the couples - Benedick and Beatrice, Claudio and Hero - interweaving them into a
unified whole. The story observes the three unities (place, time and action) established by
ancient Greek and Renaissance thinkers and writers: (1) It takes place in one locale; (2) it
lasts about a single day; and (3) it has one main story (although some view one or the other
of the two love stories as a subplot).
The basic structure of the play is three different plot lines which are intertwined:
1. Claudio and Hero: the conventional young lovers who have a crisis in their relationship and
then are reunited at the end of the play.
2. Dogberry: a bumbling amateur policeman, who with his associates, the volunteer
watchmen, figure in the action when they catch the bad guys.
3. Beatrice and Benedick: two battling, witty lovers who begin the play hating each other and
end up in a different kind of loving relationship.
Key Dates
Date Written: Probably 1598.
First Performance: Probably December 1598 or early in 1599.
First Printing: 1600 quarto edition by Valentine Sims for Andrew Wise and William Aspley;
1623 as part of the First Folio, the first authorised collection of Shakespeare's plays.
Sources
The probable main source for the play was a short tale by Matteo Bandello (1485-1561), an
Italian writer who became a bishop in France. Another apparent source was Orlando Furioso, a
great epic poem, by Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1535).
Setting
The action takes place in the city of Messina in north-eastern Sicily. Messina is in a
mountainous province whose eastern shore is only about five miles across from the toe of the
Italian boot. Modern Messina is a large city, with between 250,000 and 300,000 inhabitants.
How Funk It Up About Nothin’ Appropriates the Original Source
Funk it Up About Nothin’ is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s hip romantic comedy, Much Ado
About Nothing with a romantic plot tempered frequently by the social reality of the social order
of the day – TODAY, 21st Century. Uncovering the plot using hip-hop chorus and lyrical style,
the main plot of love between Hero and Claudio has maintained the interwoven subplot
between Benedick and Beatrice (MC Lady B).
Using the same structure as Shakespeare’s Much Ado, we have:

The Arrival

The Masque
22

The Wedding.

The Deception

The final Wedding
(The use of a dream sequence adds another interesting element of ‘Fantasy Love’, p 26.)
23
CHARACTERS IN MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING COMPARED TO THOSE IN
FUNK IT UP ABOUT NOTHIN’
Much Ado About Nothing
Protagonists: Benedick and Beatrice, arguably, because they are both real, hot-blooded
characters - far more interesting than the other protagonist candidates, Claudio and Hero. The
latter two are less animated, rather shallow characters, who idealise courtly love.
Antagonists: Don John; mix-ups and misconceptions
Benedick: Young lord from Padua who thinks he hates Beatrice but really loves her.
Beatrice: Niece of the governor of Messina who thinks she hates Benedick but really loves
him.
Leonato: Governor of Messina, uncle of Beatrice, and father of Hero.
Don Pedro: Prince of Arragon, a fine fellow who has led his forces to victory in a war against
his brother, Don John.
Don John: Don Pedro's bastard brother, a wicked fellow who was defeated by Don Pedro.
Claudio: Young lord from Florence who falls in love with Hero. He seems knightly and pure,
but his conversations suggest that his attraction to Hero results partly from the fact that she
will one day become a wealthy heiress.
Hero: Leonato's daughter, who falls in love with Claudio.
Margaret, Ursula: Hero's attendants.
Antonio: Leonato's brother.
Balthasar: Don Pedro's attendant.
Conrade, Borachio: No-good followers of Don John.
Friar Francis: Priest who helps Hero regain her reputation.
Dogberry: Constable of Messina.
Verges: The Headborough, Dogberry’s partner.
Sexton: The judge of the trial of Borachio.
Boy: Serves Benedick.
Minor Characters: Messengers, Watchmen, Attendants.
Funk it up About Nothin’
Benedick: Young Rapper who thinks he hates Beatrice but really loves her.
Beatrice: Niece Leonato who thinks she hates Benedick but really loves him.
Leonato: Wealthy uncle of Beatrice, and father of Hero.
Don Pedro: Prince of Rappers (Aragon Allstars), a fine fellow who has led his forces to victory
in a war of hip-hop rap competitions against his brother, Don John.
Don John: Don Pedro's bastard brother, a wicked fellow who was defeated by Don Pedro.
Claudio: Dude Rapper who falls in love with Hero. He seems honourable and pure, but his
conversations suggest that his attraction to Hero results partly from the fact that she will one
day become a wealthy heiress.
Hero: Leonato's daughter, who falls in love with Claudio.
Borachio: No-good follower of Don John.
Dingleberry & Verges: A longhaired dopey watchguard pimp (Sheriff) with a nightstick-lovin
cop as a side kick.
Lil Boi: One of the Sheriff’s recruits.
Judge
Big Jon: One of the Sheriff’s recruits.
24
Character/Actor doubling of roles
Hero, Lil Boi
Claudio, Judge
Don Pedro, Verges
Don John, Leonato, Dingleberry
Benedick, Borachio
MC Lady B, Big Jon
JILLIAN BURFETE
JACKSON DORAN
POSTELL PRINGLE
GQ
JQ
ERICKA RATCLIFF
25
ISSUES RAISED IN THE PRODUCTION
The main themes of the play grow out of the "game of love" - the nature of attraction between
man and woman, the role of marriage in society, gender roles, romance, and standards of
sexual mores. A related theme, the nature of truth and reality versus appearance, explores
how one lover constantly tries to determine the other lover's faithfulness through outward
signs and actions. It can be helpful to have students discuss the meaning of several of these
themes prior to reading the play.
Begin a discussion of themes in the play by having students complete a personal opinion
survey.
What's Your Opinion?
Mark the statements as true or false:
1. Men and women should marry persons of a similar social and economic status as
themselves.
2. People choose with whom they will fall in love.
3. It is better not to marry than to marry and risk being cheated on by your spouse.
4. Most people can be trusted to be faithful in marriage.
5. Men are attracted to women who are assertive and bold.
6. Jealousy in a romantic relationship is usually a sign the relationship has problems.
7. Because parents usually know what is best for their children when it comes to choosing a
mate, children should go along with their parents' wishes in this regard.
Students can discuss their answers in small groups or with the whole class.
Customs pertaining to courtship and marriage of men and women differ among cultures.
Students can do a mini-research project or conduct interviews within the school or community
asking people from several different cultures about their customs. Following the research, ask
students: What are some common customs across cultures? What differences exist? Why are
customs an important part of courtship and marriage?
Students can also research the customs for courtship and marriage during Shakespeare's
time, and examine how these differ from customs today.
In small groups or pairs, students can research where the idea of romantic love originated.
They can examine the origins of courtly love and the medieval courts of love. They can read
courtly love poetry or a courtly love tale, such as Giovanni Boccaccio's Federigo's Falcon (from
The Decameron: Fifth Day, Ninth Story trans. by Mark Musa and Peter Bondanella, Mentor
Books) or Marie de France's Guigemar (from The Lais of Marie de France, trans. by Glyn S.
Burgess and Keith Busby, Penguin Classics). The tradition of courtly love can be contrasted to
the medieval laws concerning women, their dowry, and property rights. After the students
have shared their research and poetry with the class, ask them: Does it seem likely that
courtly love is a fantasy that does not fit within the social reality of the time? What might have
been the purpose of such stories? What effect might they have had on people? Are there still
remnants of courtly love literature in popular romances or in contemporary love songs?
The old cliche "love is blind" can serve as an introduction to the theme of appearance versus
reality. In small groups, have the students brainstorm and list some popular sayings about
love, lovers, and marriage, such as "love at first sight," "love is in the eye of the beholder," or
26
"marry in haste, repent in leisure." After the lists have been shared, ask the students: Is there
a basis for these sayings? What is it about love that causes people to be "blind," to be "a little
mad," to "lose themselves in love"?
Have students brainstorm individually and in small groups the titles of songs dealing with love
and romance. After the titles have been shared, ask the students: What types of love are sung
about (i.e. young love, married love, sexual desire, unfulfilled love, unfaithful love, jealous
love)? What do these different kinds of love say about human nature?
Discuss with students the concept of a "double standard." Suggest that the students think
about these questions: To what extent does it still operate today? Why does it still operate?
How does it account for different gender-specific behaviours?
27
THEMES TO EXPLORE
1. Betrayal is a theme introduced at the very beginning of this play. How does this constant
stream of betrayal affect the outcome of the plot, and which characters are most affected by
it?
2. Relationships and Friendships. How does Benedick's relationship with Beatrice change over
the course of the plot? What causes these changes, and what significance does this have to
the outcome of the play?
3. Change due to the influence of others, and due to the deception and schemes. Are we as
gullible as Benedick and Beatrice if our friends tell us something that may not be true, yet we
believe it to be so? Is this challenging what friendship is all about-that notion of trust?
4. Ideal versus Reality. Can the ideal be potentially destructive? How does this production
ensure that the outcome is a comic or happy one?
How does Hero see getting married, and how does Claudio still perpetuate the ideal virtuous
woman as the ideal bride? How does Leonato show how society (and parental) perceptions of
sex before marriage have changed?
5. Sight and Seeing.
6. The Battle of the sexes and how gender differences are asserted
7. Attitudes towards women, love and marriage-then and now.
28
LINKS TO SHAKESPEARE Love, villainy, friendship, parent-child relationships, society and customs - Much Ado About
Nothing touches on all of these. It presents a rich, ambiguous blend of life's relationships,
folly, and catastrophe. Shakespeare introduces us to a group of people who have a past with
each other that is immediately apparent as soon as Beatrice asks the messenger if all the
soldiers are returned from the war. This is not a casual inquiry. Beatrice's question marks
feelings that she does not yet comprehend. She and Benedick are attracted to each other but
do not know how to deal with these feelings.
The relationship of Beatrice and Benedick is counterpoised to the more traditional relationship
of Hero and Claudio.
Claudio, having returned from the war, now has the leisure and desire to marry Hero. He is
concerned about her social (and economic) position and how others perceive her. He asks
Benedick what he thinks. He also allows the Duke to intervene on his behalf, to approach the
lady and her father with his suit. He is a proper if somewhat distant lover. Meanwhile Hero is
cautioned by her father to obey his will when it comes to the choice of a husband. This is just
the beginning of complications involving two sets of lovers, giving the audience and the
readers a hint of the rich variety of human motives and relationships.
Much Ado About Nothing is a play that will entertain and challenge high school students. They
will enjoy the wonderful comic elements in the play - the "battle of the sexes" played by
Beatrice and Benedick, the trick played on these two to turn them into lovers, and the farcical
speeches of Dogberry and Verges. They may find mirrored in the play many of their own
dilemmas about love, familial responsibility, and relationships. And they will have much to
think about in weighing the actions of Claudio and Don Pedro and in analysing the elements of
tragedy, melodrama, comedy, and farce united in the play. Students will find in this play a rich
source from which to draw in developing their abilities to read, analyse, discuss, and write.
Much Ado About Nothing is a Shakespearean work accessible to modern students; it is a true
classic and timeless in its appeal.
29
PERFORMANCE PHOTOS AND ACTIVITIES
Photo 1: Whole cast sing it up on stage

How do the body positions reveal that the cast are rapping/rap artists?

What evidence is there, i.e. in costuming, body positioning and set design?
30
Photo 2: Benedick (JQ) and Beatrice, aka MC Lady B (Ericka Ratcliff)

What can you write about the characters and their status in this photograph?

How would you describe their relationship and more importantly their overall
character? Discuss costuming, and stage positioning, and body posturing.
31
Photo 3: Don John (GQ), Prince Don Pedro (Postell Pringle) with DJ Adrienne
Sanchez in the background.

What can you tell about the character dynamics as shown in this photograph?

Look at the levels created and the body positioning. How does the set play a role
here?
32
CHARACTERISATION

Look the following photographs and discuss what you can tell about character
relationship between the two? Look at levels, focus and body positioning.
Photo 4 & 5: Don John (GQ) and Borachio (JQ)
33
SET DESIGN AND LIGHTING
Photo 6: Claudio (Jackson Doran), Prince Don Pedro (Postell Pringle) and Benedick
(JQ)

Discuss the use of colour in both the set and lighting, and explain the difficulties a
lighting and costume designer would have with such a vividly coloured set.
34
COSTUMES
Photo 7: Benedick (JQ) and Beatrice, aka MC Lady B (Ericka Ratcliff)

Look at all the photos, then discuss how the costumes are used to expose and explore
the characters as individuals and the relationships between them.
35
POSTER & PROGRAM DESIGN
Look at the two images below and analyse the colours and actual images used to promote this
performance and production. Do you think the images are effective if so why? What other
ideas could you come up with to promote the production? Create your own poster design and
print it off for a professional company. What are the elements of good design? How have you
incorporated these same elements? Write a 300 word rationale to justify your decisions.
36
THE Q BROTHERS – INSIGHTS
Had you done much Shakespeare before Funk It Up About Nothin’?
GQ: I actually grew up really hating Shakespeare. I had a serious aversion to reading it and
identifying with it, but through my training at the experimental theater wing (at Tisch School
of the Arts, NYU) with certain teachers that got me to understand the musicality of the
language, it started to make more sense to me. When I stopped trying so hard to understand
it and just let myself feel it, then I really got into it. It started a long time ago with our first
play, The Bomb-Itty of Errors, in 1998, the year that I graduated from NYU. I put together a
group of guys to make a hip-hop theater project. We only had five weeks to do it, so instead
of writing an original piece we decided to adapt something, and we were all really into
Shakespeare at the time. There were four main actors that we wanted to use and we thought
it’d be good if we played two sets of twins in a Comedy of Errors. And that’s when Bomb-Itty
of Errors happened. Once we started doing it, it seemed like a perfect marriage.
You’ve done various other kinds of theatre, TV and movies. What’s different with
this?
GQ: What’s so exciting is that me and my brother J have done it together. It’s really come
from both of our hearts. We grew up in Chicago. To be with the [Chicago] Shakespeare
Theater is such a high level of professionalism and culture. There’s no greater feeling to
perform with your own flesh and blood. It isn’t about the money in theatre, it’s about the
passion.
Tell us about the audience of Funk It Up About Nothin’
JQ: We want younger generations to appreciate Shakespeare but we want older generations
to appreciate hip-hop. From the feedback I’m getting, people are coming in saying, “I haven’t
seen Shakespeare this alive in so long.”
GQ: When you get someone saying, “Wow, I haven’t been so energised by a play I’ve seen in
years, whether Shakespeare or not.” They’re getting it, they’re getting it. And it’s a little
different. When The Bomb-Itty came out, we had a harder time getting anyone past a certain
age to even put a foot in the theatre. But hip-hop culture is so huge, it’s like what rock ‘n roll
did. It takes over the world. It’s not just a form of music, it’s a culture. It’s an entire way of
being, way of living. It takes over the way people dress, what they talk about, what they
pump in the clubs. It eventually permeates every part of society, whether you’re old or not
you have to deal with it. You either have to have an opinion about it, or accept that it will
37
continue to grow.

Write down three more questions you would like to ask them.
Extracts taken from www.clubplanet.com/Articles/2227/Funk-It-Up-Shakespeare-for-the-HipHop-Generation-Comes-to-Chicago
38
REVIEWS
Find and then read the following reviews which come from a combination of print media and
Internet/websites:
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117937594.html?categoryid=33&cs=1&query=funk+it+up
+about+nothin
http://www.centerstagechicago.com/theatre/shows/5847.html
http://maporterritory.blogspot.com/2008/07/funk-it-up-about-nothin.html
http://www.whatsonstage.com/blogs/scotland/?p=420
Theatre Review Time out Chicago/issue 176 July 10-16th 2008
http://chicago.timeout.com/articles/theater/37941/funk-it-up-about-nothin
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2008/aug/12/edinburghfestival.funkitupaboutnothin/print
http://living.scotsman.com/performing-arts/Theatre-Funk-It-Up-About.4417129.jp
1. Analyse the reviews that were written for the internet and compare them to the ones from
newspapers. What differences can you identify about layout and structure?
2. What role does the internet play in terms of promoting theatre, especially through the use
of blogs? Analyse the following blog comments posted and discuss them.
a. Posted by Sandra Motiwalla on Thu, Jul 10, 08 at 3.05pm
“I think it’s a good way to show to the new generation about old English plays through
Shakespeare, in a fun way.”
b. Posted by Josh College on Thu, Jul 10. 08 at 12.20pm
“Holy Moly! Shakespeare + Rap + good reviews!!?!?!?!”
39
3. What would be your reaction to the posts if you were:

A performer from the show

The director

A potential theatre goer

A student

A teacher
4. Write your own review of the production you saw for both print media and for an internet
website. Carefully check the requirements of each, and ensure you meet the requirements of
each (i.e. discussion of technical elements, characterisation, the shift from the original text
use of music etc.)
40
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR BOTH DRAMA AND ENGLISH CLASSES
After watching the play, conduct follow up activities extending students' learning and enriching
their understanding of the play and its themes.
Show a complete film version of Much Ado About Nothing. In five groups, have the students
discuss how each act of the film differs from the same act of the play.
General Questions
1.
What is this production telling us about ourselves - about what we want or need to be
happy, about how men and women need to interact? What is the Q Brother’s version
of the play showing us about the understanding of human nature, and how has this
been portrayed in their production?
2.
Was the play realistic in terms of how people live and behave today? Were the issues
explored relevant?
3.
Practice a key speech that helps develop the character who is speaking. Rewrite the
original Shakespearean speech into rap and recite it to a small group. Describe why
you chose it.
4.
Select one or several pieces of music (or compose one) that you think reflects the
mood of a scene, or several scenes. In a small group, practice reading the scene(s)
with the music as a background. Record your reading and burn a CD that can be
played in class.
5.
Select a scene. Design the set for the scene. Be sure to include both scenery and
props.
6.
Select a character. Go through the play and draw designs for costumes for that
character.
7.
Compare a film version of the traditional play to the new stage version of Funk it Up
About Nothin’ and look at what has been excluded, added etc. from each. Discuss the
changes the film makes and the subsequent changes the Q Brothers made in their
version.
8.
(Note: some discussion on the difference between theatre and film may also be
productive here.)
9.
Use writing response assignments to get students to deepen their understanding.
Organise writing response groups to provide an audience and feedback for rough
drafts and sharing of finished pieces. It is important that students spend time on
editing and drafting their writing, along with redrafting!
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Suggest the following topics:
a. Now that you have read the play, how do you judge it as a comedy? Mood is the feeling of a
piece of literature. Is the mood of this play light and humorous or serious and weighty? First
freewrite about your reaction to these questions and then look back to the play for quotes and
scenes used to establish the dominant mood.
b. Draw a diagram of the play showing the movement of the mood (mood shifts) occurring
during the action. Write an explanation of your diagram.
c. Write a comic scene modelled on Funk it up About Nothin’. Think about an episode that
could happen at school between a boy and girl. What things might lead to complications?
Create a dialogue and some stage action. Try out the scene with several other students and
then revise your scene according to their directions.
d. A lot of the humour involving Dogberry and Verges arises from their fractured sense of
word meanings. Examine several of their speeches and write some of your own malapropisms.
e. Compare one section of the film version of Much Ado to the text of Funk it Up About
Nothin’. What did the screenplay/original script leave out or change? What is the effect of such
changes? Review the scenes you have chosen. Describe what changes or adaptations you
might make in your rap/hip hop version of this act.
f. Who would you rather be - Beatrice or Hero; Claudio or Benedick? Compare and contrast the
two female or male characters. Why do you think Shakespeare created the pairs of characters,
and how has the new production modernised the female roles?
g. Select one character and write an email or blog entry describing the events in Leonato's
house from that character's point of view.
h. Choose a passage/moment in the play which best represents one of the themes. Explain
what the passage means and what it reveals about the theme.
i. Study the text and make note of the various references (i.e. to music, contemporary famous
people, or even old movies, e.g. pg. 66 “Tell me about it Stud” - a reference to GREASE.
j. Listen to the Hey Nonny Nonny song as performed in the film version of Much Ado (Kenneth
Branagh version ) and the version in Funk it up. What can you write about the differences and
whether they are appropriate for their interpretation of the text?
k. Does this production indeed honour the original?
l. Compare the banter between Benedick and Beatrice on pages 9-11 to the original. Note the
bawdy language in the new version, and how this is used.
m. Look at how Don John and Don Pedro’s relationship is explored on pages 12-13.
n. There is no interval in this production – what is the effect of this?
o. In pairs, write a Facebook or Twitter comment on how you are feeling as Hero/Claudio at
various times throughout the story.
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p. The character of Beatrice does and says what she pleases, which in Shakespeare’s time was
remarkable, but in 2010 perhaps not so much. Has her strength as a character been
diminished by the contemporary world she is playing in?
Many students will enjoy and benefit from more physical responses to the play.
a. Directors often make changes in a play to express a particular point of view, interpretation
of character, or illustration of theme. Small groups of students can work together on a scene
or part of a scene. Decide who will be the director, assistant director, and actors. Plan your
interpretation of the scene, rehearse your scene, and act it out for the class. Be ready to
explain your interpretation of the end, and word play. High comedy is more sophisticated and
involves the characters of the upper class. High comedy is more intellectual and arises from
the pleasure of seeing complications resolved. Brainstorm high and low comedy you have seen
on television, video, or film. Pick a situation between a boy and a girl that might occur at
school. Write the scene as high or low comedy. Present it to the class and ask them to identify
the type of comedy you have presented.
Or, choose a high comedy and a low comedy scene in Much Ado About Nothing. Act out each
scene including as much action as possible. Discuss how each type of comedy affects the
viewer and how we derive pleasure from viewing comedy.
b. Practice a key speech that helps develop the character who is speaking. Recite the speech
to a small group and describe why you chose it.
c. Select one or several pieces of music (or compose one) that you think reflects the mood of
a scene or several scenes. In a small group, practice reading the scene(s) with the music as a
background. Record your reading on an audio recorder.
d. Select a scene. Design the set for the scene. Be sure to include both scenery and props.
e. Select a character. Go through the play and draw designs for costumes for that character.
REFERENCE: The Introduction and Commentaries in the Signet Classic edition can be
explored profitably by students after their own reading of Much Ado. The introduction is
especially helpful in comparing the relationship of Claudio and Hero with that of Benedick and
Beatrice. The various essays in the commentaries section can give students an historical sense
of changing responses to the play. In addition, the essay by Carol Thomas Neely gives insight
into the various gender-related issues raised in the play. One use of these essays would be to
have students first freewrite about their personal views, read an appropriate essay, and then
compare their view to that of the essay's author.
With a small group or as a class, read Keeping Christina by Sue Ellen Bridgers (Harper, 1993).
In the book, the teenage students debate whether or not Shakespeare was actually the author
of the plays. Discuss the points raised by the teenagers in Bridgers' book. Research the
controversy over the authorship of the plays and hold a class debate.
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The following was created by Jeff Schober (January 1999), Baker Road Alternative
School.
Reference: http://www.folger.edu/edulesplandtl.cfm?lpid=541
Plays/Scenes Covered
This activity is an introduction and overview of the action in Much Ado About Nothing.
What’s On for Today and Why?
Today students will improvise a few scenarios which relate to the plot of Much Ado About
Nothing. They should have no previous knowledge of the play; they have not read any scenes
or learned character names. This activity will force them to think about broad happenings they
will read about, so when they begin the play they will have a base of expectations. This
activity should be completed in one 40-minute period.
What To Do
1. Divide students into groups of four or five. Each group will be called to the front of the room
and asked to improvise one of the following scenarios written on the board:
a) Two people of the opposite sex, A and B, dislike one another and are constantly
bickering. Show them taunting one another, then have B leave. Some friends enter.
Have the friends convince A that B is really attracted to A. Deal with the matter of
whether A believes them and why he (or she) would.
b) A different couple, X and Y, are very much in love. Create a scenario showing their
affection for one another. Have X leave and friends enter. The friends have to do
something to cause Y to want to break up with X.
2. Play this improvisation game as many times as necessary, depending on the number of
groups you have.
3. When everyone has had a chance to act, write the names of two students who played A and
B on the board. Have students copy this into their notebooks, then cross out the students'
names and write Beatrice and Benedick. Do the same thing for X and Y, crossing out the
students' names and inserting Hero and Claudio.
4. In the remaining class time have the students copy the scenarios into their notebooks.
Their homework is to write a one-page fictional story which addresses one of the scenarios.
What You Need

a big open area - move desks against the walls so students can get on their feet and
improvise.

a whiteboard / chalkboard

notebooks & pens
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How Did It Go?
Did students understand the scenarios they were asked to improvise? If they asked pointed
questions which went beyond the material you covered, this is a good indication that the
activity has triggered their brain. A true measure of how the lesson went should be reflected in
their written assignment. Ideally they will be creative while still following the plot discussed in
class.
The following created by Janell Bemis, (September 1998), J.F. Kennedy Jr. High
School, West Valley City, Utah.
Reference: http://www.folger.edu/eduLesPlanDtl.cfm?lpid=562
Plays/Scenes Covered
Much Ado About Nothing 4.1.1-268
The students will discuss and debate the issues raised by Claudio repudiating Hero at the altar,
focusing on the customs of today, the laws concerning marriage, and Hero's case in particular.
The students will stage a mock trial accusing Claudio of slandering Hero. The class should
have read up to the beginning of Act 4 before this lesson.
This lesson will cover several class periods.
1. The Great Debate
Introduce Much Ado About Nothing 4.1 by assigning roles and having the students read aloud.
Lead the class in a debate about Hero's situation. Was she a fit bride? Was Claudio wrong to
accuse her? How about Hero's father? Why did he react the way he did? Why did Beatrice get
so upset? What was the role of the Friar? Was hiding Hero a good solution to the problem?
2. The Trial of Claudio
Stage a mock trial. Assign all the roles: the prosecutor, Hero (or her father); the prosecuting
attorney; the defendant, Claudio; the defence attorney; a judge; a jury; and witnesses. Give
the students time to prepare for their roles. The only information they may use is the script of
the play and the marriage customs handout.
Begin the trial. The judge announces the case and the prosecution begins its arguments with
an opening statement. The defence also gives an opening statement. The prosecution then
calls witnesses. The defence gets to cross-examine the witnesses. Then the defence calls its
witnesses, and the prosecution cross-examines. The prosecution gives a closing argument,
and the defence gives a closing argument. Then the judge gives instructions to the members
of the jury, and dismisses them to consider their verdict. The jury deliberates, then returns
and gives the verdict. If it is "not guilty," the case is dismissed; if it is "guilty," they give a
recommendation for sentencing. The jury needs to defend its verdict, telling the judge how it
came to a decision. The judge pronounces the verdict, and the case is over.
(If you don't have enough students to have a jury, an alternative could be to have the class
vote on the verdict. In this case, have each student write a paragraph explaining his or her
decision.)
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3. Reflections on Consequences
Assign the students to write a short paper/response about their reactions to the false
accusations about Hero and Claudio's decision to publicly disgrace her. Have the students use
their notes which they have completed to support their opinions with quotations from the the
play. This paper could be started in class and/or completed as a homework assignment.
This lesson incorporates many strategies: group and class discussion, debate, performance,
textual analysis, and writing. There are many opportunities for assessments of the students'
work through the entire process. Did the students make logical and well-supported arguments
throughout? Did their writing reflect an understanding of marriage customs then and now and
in the context of the play?
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TOPICS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION
Find and then read the following interview with the Q Brothers:
http://www.clubplanet.com/Articles/2227/Funk-It-Up-Shakespeare-for-the-hip-hopGeneration-comes-to-Chicago
“Funk It Up - Shakespeare For The Hip Hop Generation...”

To what extent to do you feel this version uses the issues Shakespeare tried to explore
in his original play, and has modernising the text taken away from the original?
Other Literature Dealing with the Themes of Much Ado About Nothing:
Love
Bridgers, Sue Ellen. All Together Now. Knopf, 1979.
Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Signet Classic, 1960.
Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. Signet Classic, 1959.
Dumas, Alexandre. The Count of Monte Cristo. Signet Classic, 1988.
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. Tender is the Night. Scribner's, 1962.
Gingher, Marianne. Teen Angel And Other Stories of Young Love. Macmillan, 1988.
Greene, Bette. Summer of My German Soldier. Dial, 1973.
Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. Scribner Classics Series, 1987.
Hunt, Irene. Up a Road Slowly. Follett, 1966.
Leroux, Gaston. The Phantom of the Opera. Signet Classic, 1987.
Rosenthal, Lucy. Great American Love Stories. Little, 1988.
Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Signet Classic, 1964.
Appearance versus Reality
Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. Signet Classic, 1950.
Hamilton, Virginia. M. C. Higgins, the Great. Macmillan, 1974.
Hamilton, Virginia. Zeely. Macmillan, 1967.
Melville, Herman. Billy Budd, Sailor. Signet Classic, 1961.
Wharton, Edith. The Age of Innocence. Collier, 1993.
Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. Signet, 1987.
Gender Roles
Cooney, Caroline. I'm Not Your Other Half. Pacer, 1984.
Greene, Bette. Philip Hall Like Me. I Reckon Maybe. Dial, 1974.
Levitin, Sonia. Smile Like a Plastic Daisy. Atheneum, 1984.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY/RESOURCES
1. English Notes
Greta Caruso “Adaptation and Transformation”
www.actf.com.au/learning_centre/school...kits/.../set_strand3.pdf
www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au
Bridgers Sue Ellen, (1993) Keeping Christina. Harper USA.
2. Drama Notes
‘Hitler’s Daughter’ Teaching’s Notes Monkey Baa Theatre Co. Prepared by The EDR
Consultancy on behalf of Monkey Baa, page 3.
Much Ado About Nothing
McGLINN, JEANNE M. &. McGLINN, JAMES E, Signet Guide to Much Ado About Nothing.
3. Teaching Notes/Books
www.penguin.com
Elith, K, Embrey, J & Hicks, P (1997) Studying Shakespeare Today. Oxford Uni Press: UK.
Michaels, W (1990) Played Upon a Stage. Nelson: Australia.
http://www.folger.edu/edulesplandtl.cfm?lpid=541
http://www.folger.edu/eduLesPlanDtl.cfm?lpid=562
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/curriculum-planning/teaching-methods/3712.html
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4. Hip Hop
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hip-hop
http://musicouch.com/music-making/composition/complete-guide-to-writing-raphip-hoplyrics/#ixzz0zyiL0VDA
5. Other
http://www.teacherweb.com/
Teaching Shakespeare
Background Information
6. Teaching Shakespeare
http://www.folger.edu/index.cfm - Folger Shakespeare Library
http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/spectopics/shakespeare.cfm - Teacher First
http://www.shakespearemag.com/default.asp
http://www.bardcentral.com/
http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/educators/technology/
7. Background Information
http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/index.html
http://www.stratford.co.uk/shakespeare.asp
http://shakespeareauthorship.com/
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