New York Neo-Classical Ensemble - “When I played Hamlet,” he remembers, “I added the...

Hi, we're the New York Neo-Classical Ensemble.

We're a theatre company in New York City.

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We're just beginning production on our 2010 season: AS YOU LIKE IT and ROMEO AND JULIET/IMPROVISED.

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Our other website is newyorkneo.org

This site is generally updated by Stephen Stout, Artistic Director of NYNEO. Other people contribute as well, they'll typically sign their post with their name.

"Positive action means that the actor/character focuses on the success of the enterprise rather than allowing the fear of failure to enter the mind or consciousness – every character plays to win at every moment....

The inclination of creativity – both on stage and in life – is to celebrate and to praise life and existence.....

With positive action, the characters hang on not only to the hope but also to the belief that they will get what they want. When they fail to achieve their goals, the effect will be psychologically and emotionally devastating; when they achieve their goals, the effect will be miraculous, exhilarating, and transporting."

- Louis Scheeder, Neo-Classical Training, Training of the American Actor.

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Jun
16th

Wed

When I played Hamlet,” he remembers, “I added the word ‘Ah!’ five times after what are usually Hamlet’s final words – ‘The rest is silence.’ And Ian McKellen sent me a letter to the stage door, saying, ‘Now, now, darling, you really do have to be silent after those words.’” Sir Ian did not leave a return address, so Rylance was unable to write back to him and point out that the five dying susurrations are in the folio edition of the plays, printed seven years after the writer’s death. Rylance believes that they were added in performance by Richard Burbage, the first Hamlet.

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Mark Rylance: ‘It’s all about the attitude’ | Stage | The Guardian

As we do more and more of the plays, we’re finding a greater freedom in using the text as a fluid piece of dramaturgy; capable of being adapted to what we find useful in this particular staging/exploration of this particular play.

I’m working on Daniel Spector (NYNEO’s Director of Training)’s Romeo and Juliet. He’s edited the behemoth text down to a cool and fast 90 minutes, and has freely changed the more time specific references to reflect how swiftly and accurately he wants the event to happen. References to Bolton Landing (the town that hosts the Lake George Theater Lab) are sprinkled throughout. Is it “pure” Shakespeare? No. Is it effective and rule breaking? Yes.

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