SP 2014 10.2 - Actor/Writer

[Liz M]

10.2 - Actor/Writer - In honor of Shakespeare read a play OR an autobiography/biography of an actor or a playwright.

[Tanya]

Would Shakespeare: The World as Stage by Bill Bryson work for this?

[Heather]

I can't link from my phone, but would William Shakespeare's Star Wars work?

[Kate S]

Tanya wrote: "Would Shakespeare: The World as Stage by Bill Bryson work for this?"

Yes, this is a biography of a playwright, it will work.

[Kate S]

Heather wrote: "I can't link from my phone, but would William Shakespeare's Star Wars work?"

This appears to be a play, so yes it will work for this task.

[Theresa~OctoberLace]

I plan to read Richard II and possibly other plays by Shakespeare for this challenge. Do the rules for YA, Assignment, etc. apply for plays? Richard II is listed as YA Non-fiction in BPL, but has no Lexile rating. Does that mean I cannot claim style points for that play and others by Shakepeare with Lexiles under 800 or with no Lexile ratings?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

All of Shakespeare's plays and sonnets are on the Canon, so Lexile rules do not apply.

[Theresa~OctoberLace]

Thank you, Elizabeth!

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Theresa~OctoberLace wrote: "Thank you, Elizabeth!"

Makes it easier for this one!

[Sam]

For the plays, does the same rule apply as for poetry where if it's under 100 pages, we can read two plays by the same author?

[Liz M]

Sam wrote: "For the plays, does the same rule apply as for poetry where if it's under 100 pages, we can read two plays by the same author?"

No. For example, you cannot read Medea (47 pages) and Bacchae (96 pages) for a single task. However, for many playwrights there are editions that collect two or more plays. So, you could read Four Plays: Medea / Hippolytus / Heracles / Bacchae.

[Sam]

Thanks Liz! It would never have occurred to me to look for collections! ;)

[Sam]

Sorry, one more question! I was looking at Huis clos, suivi de Les mouches, but if I'm seeing right, the most popular edition seems to be No Exit which is only 60 pages, but also doesn't include the second play. Does that mean it wouldn't work since technically the most popular edition is under 100 pages?

I'm not sure why it got lumped in with that edition, seems like they're kind of all mixed in together =/

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Sam wrote: "Sorry, one more question! I was looking at Huis clos, suivi de Les mouches, but if I'm seeing right, the most popular edition seems to be No Exit which is only 60 pages,..."

That edition has been incorrectly combined with editions that are not alike. When posting, please link to this edition: No Exit and Three Other Plays, which has 275 pages.

[Sam]

Sounds good, thanks Elizabeth :)

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I worked on separating and combining, so it's possible that first edition is with the one we want anyway. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[Sam]

Yup, seems to be showing up with the right edition now! Thanks :)

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

In this group, we have tripped over which dates to use for Shakespeare's plays. Early on, we had a Shakespeare task and Sam, our founder and creator, said we would be relying on the dates used at http://www.online-literature.com/shak... - not the dates in parentheses, but the first dates.

I think without exception, the dates will give you 25 Oldies points, not the 20 points from the First Folio published in 1623. If a date in the GR database is the 1623 date, please mention it when you post, to make sure our database will reflect the RwS date to be used. (Hopefully, that means the GR database will get changed, but sometimes another not in this group might change it back.)