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  • 1.  Stage Combat Scenes

    Posted 02-13-2018 07:33
    Hi everyone.   I am doing a stage combat unit with my Advanced Theater Class and I am looking for some scenes that I could use.  They are doing a good job with the skills but I want to add the next layer having them actually have lines to memorize so they can find the beats in their fights.  Does anyone have any suggestions beyond Shakespeare;)  Thanks so much!  Lisa Neal

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    Lisa Neal
    Theater Educator
    Nokomis Regional High School
    Palmyra ME
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  • 2.  RE: Stage Combat Scenes

    Posted 02-13-2018 09:42
    I'm assuming you mean unarmed? It's been a few years but if I remember correctly there were a series of fights at the end of Jack The Ripper: Monster of White Chapel.

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    Shira Schwartz
    Chandler Unified School District
    Chandler AZ
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Stage Combat Scenes

    Posted 02-13-2018 12:21
    Thank you so much! I will look at that one--but mostly they are using swords.  They do have some hand to hand combat skills too but basically sword play;)

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    Lisa Neal
    Theater Educator
    Nokomis Regional High School
    Palmyra ME
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Stage Combat Scenes

    Posted 02-13-2018 13:41
    Then I'd look at a Three Musketeers or Robin Hood Script. You'll definitely find some in there

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    Shira Schwartz
    Chandler Unified School District
    Chandler AZ
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Stage Combat Scenes

    Posted 02-14-2018 07:51
    My son did a swordfight in "Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily."  He was Moriarty.  It's a Playscripts piece, so you should be able to read it online if you don't already own it.

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    Kristen Statt
    Thunderhawk Theater Director
    Lakota East High School
    Liberty Twp, OH
    Kristen.statt@lakotaonline.com
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Stage Combat Scenes

    Posted 02-14-2018 08:25
    Look at the play "I Hate Hamlet."  There's a great bit of comedy dialogue for an extravagant sword-fight that closes Act I.  

    Also, look at one of the most underrated sword fights ever on film: "The Princess Bride" between Inigo and Wesley.  

    When we have time to work in a "Weapons" unit, I use those scripts and adapt the actual combat as needed for both time and ability.  Each scene can be either a minute or two, or can be expanded into a 5-6 minute "epic."

    HAVE FUN!!!

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    Josh Ruben, M. Ed.
    Fine Arts Head
    Northwest Whitfield HS (dba, The Northwest Theatre Co.)
    Tunnel Hill, GA
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Stage Combat Scenes

    Posted 02-14-2018 13:50

    Lisa,

    The scenes we used in college under our Certified SAFD teacher for Unarmed, Single Sword, and Rapier & Dagger almost never specifically specified combat by those weapons; though I did my best to find scenes where it would make sense (ie reasons to be pretty for Unarmed, I Hate Hamlet for Single Sword, and Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure for Rapier & Dagger). The advice I was given is to find a scene with conflict and use the stage combat as an extension of it. It's similar to the philosophy of dance, you fight because you can no longer express your intention with words. Some of my favorite stage combat scenes, regardless of whether or not they required combat based on the text include:

    Gwendolyn & Cecile - The Importance of Being Earnest (Unarmed)
    Prudence & Stuart - Beyond Therapy (Unarmed)
    Starbuck & Captain Ahab - Moby Dick Rehearsed (Rapier & Dagger)
    Lee & Austin - True West (Rapier & Dagger) 

    Again, a lot of these scenes don't make sense if you were staging a full production, however they are entertaining and highly evocative scenes in terms of the conflict of the lines influencing the motions of combat. It might be fun to use a scene cutting from Heathers or the like for single sword because of how over the top it is. Any scene that has a lot of back & forth with heightened conflict can be adapted into a fight scene. It just takes the choreography and the commitment!

    Hope this helps!



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    Nate Netzley
    Cincinnati OH
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Stage Combat Scenes

    Posted 02-14-2018 13:55
    Cyrano and Moon over Buffalo!!! Both great fights and challenging dialogue

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    Jeremy Stein
    Theater Director
    Van Alstyne ISD
    Van Alstyne TX
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    Original Message


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