Read Notes from the Life of a Total Genius Online
Authors: Stacey Matson
Notes from the Life of a Total Genius (15 page)
Yours truly,
Arthur Bean
Assignment: Design a Set
Imagine yourself as a set designer for
Macbeth
. Draw a set design for one scene that we have already studied (you may choose any scene up to act 3, scene 1). Along with your set-design drawing, include a short paragraph explaining some of the decisions you have made to bring the play to life. Remember that sets can be designed to show symbols or bring out characterization as well!
Due: March 14
March 6th
Dear RJ,
I talked to Millie and Ben (and Von too, but he doesn’t really count) about the Leg Breakers, and we have a plan. I’m going to write an article for the
Marathon
about the recent controversy! I think that maybe we can get more people on our side when they hear about how we aren’t allowed to do our plays. Like Millie said, it’s a question of free speech! We should be allowed to do them!
I know that I’ve already gotten in trouble for articles in the
Marathon
, so I’ll have to be super careful to be objective, but I think that I can pull it off.
Ben suggested that we get the other Leg Breakers on board, keep rehearsing and perform the plays anyway. He said we could probably get away with it, because Kraleigh can’t stop us if she doesn’t know that we’re going to perform them!
I’m pumped, RJ. It feels so awesome being surrounded by people who are as mad as I am. And every famous person has a story of rebelling against authority. Plus, the best books and plays have been banned at some point too. The way I see it, my play could be the next Harry Potter phenomenon! If it’s edgy, we might even get MORE people coming to our festival!
Yours truly,
Arthur Bean
I’m staging a coup!
i think youve flown the coup. what r u talkin about?
A coup! We’re going to put our plays on even though Kraleigh doesn’t want us to!
wow such a rebell
I know! Ben and Millie and Von are helping me.
good luck!
oh ya and i got an interview at camp!
An interview? For what?
a councilor job, i have 2 go over brake
So you’ll be here for spring break?
part of it. hayley doesnt want me gone the whole time
Awesome. We can hang out while you’re here!
March 10th
Dear RJ,
I’m going to enter a fencing competition! It’s not until June, but Deeter said that he thinks I’ll be ready and that I have a great chance to do pretty well if I focus and practise a lot. Millie said that she would practise with me on the weekends if she’s around (her and Joie go to a lot of competitions, so they aren’t here that often), and she said that Joie would come too. Joie actually owns two swords, and Deeter said that we could maybe borrow equipment if we’re really careful. I just hope that Joie doesn’t want to do footwork drills all the time. Those are the worst.
The competition is a pretty big deal; it’s the Calgary regionals. If you win this one, you could even go to provincials, which are being held in Lethbridge in the fall! So if I win, I would even get to visit Robbie. Although maybe he’ll move back for high school. If I were him, I would. I think he really hates Lethbridge.
I wonder what Kennedy would say if she knew that I was now a competitive fencer. That’s way cooler than being an athlete on some dumb school volleyball team!
Yours truly,
Arthur Bean
Can you send me a couple of drawings of ghosts? Little ones?
what kind of ghosts?
Scary ones. And a king. And a witch.
Make that three witches.
what is this 4?
I’m working on a set design.
here they are!
Dude, I mean actually scary. Not “scary if you’re four.”
rite. like u werent scarred by casper
I take it you were?
dude that guy was terrifying!!! he talked so much and had a creepy laugh
this better?
Definitely. Thanks. This takes my homework to a whole new level!
homework? does this mean u will do my essay?
It’s not the whole thing. Just the decoration. And I’ll give you credit!
then u have to help me w my essay over the brake
Deal! I can’t wait until you’re here!
By Arthur Bean
I have designed Macbeth’s bedroom where he meets Lady Macbeth after killing the king. I made sure that there were things to sit on, because I know that you need many different levels when you’re directing a play, and people need to be able to sit and stand in different places, especially in a Shakespeare play when it’s all talking and no action. There’s a bed, because it’s a bedroom, and I pictured Macbeth lying down after the strain of killing someone. I think that would take a lot out of a person.
I added an extra level with stairs; people love stairs onstage. It looks so fancy. Plus, this way they can wheel the bed out and change things up downstairs, and make it into different parts of the castle easily.
I wanted to add an extra level of symbolism to the walls, so I added in a painting of a ghost (foreshadowing), three witches (backshadowing) and the king (RIP). The painting would be an original, and so to show that, I have asked an artist to draw that part of my set for me.
Arthur,
Your set design is well done, if not a little basic. You have all the elements that are needed, but nothing more. I was hoping that you would have been more creative with your design, but I like the addition of Robbie’s doodle. Next time, assume that your theatre company is in New York, has a huge budget for set design, and dream bigger!
Ms Whitehead
By Arthur Bean
Terry Fox Jr. High has never had any major problems. In general, we’re pretty good kids. Nobody has killed anyone else over an ex-boyfriend; nobody has even died of an accidental peanuting from a lethal allergy. As far as I know, no one has even come close to dying here. So it may come as a surprise to many of you that the upcoming Leg Breakers play festival has been cancelled due to the material that was going to be presented.