Fun with Farquhar: Final project proposal.

As suggested, I'm posting the final project proposal, just to give an idea of my current direction (and perhaps indicate in advance why it is that Farquhar'll likely be cropping up in further blog entries). So, here goes.

Project Proposal: A digital play guide for George Farquhar’s The Beaux’ Stratagem.

For my final project, I intend to create a digital play guide (it might also be considered a dramaturgical resource or study guide) for George Farquhar’s The Beaux’ Stratagem. In no small part, I am modeling this off of dramaturgical sites that I have come across or for which I have helped to create material (see below for examples). The site will include written pieces as well as images, excerpts, and links. My hope is that it might serve as an informative resource, along with a jumping-off point for further research and thought, for theatrical endeavors (such sources as a comprehensive production guide could certainly save some time and headaches), educational purposes, or for any particularly curious readers of the play. I have chosen The Beaux’ Stratagem because it seems a likely candidate for production and general study, and because it seems (unlike, say, She Stoops to Conquer) to lack such a resource.

The guide will eventually include the following sections (noting that the categories and contents might change somewhat as I accumulate and sift through information):

• The Play. A synopsis, setting information, a character list or guide, and quotes from the play. Links to (and any possible information on) available editions, whether purchasable or found through such sources as Google books.
• About the Author. A biography, perhaps some quotes from Farquhar’s other works.
• Historical Context. Any background related to the play and its setting that might help to illuminate pieces of the play. Might include anything from a glance at 18th-century Lichfield to a piece on 18th-century society or etiquette to images of the articles of clothing mentioned in the play. Hopefully including images and links galore, along with any miscellaneous observations, articles, and outlining pieces.
• Glossary. Information on terms, names, and places encountered in the play. If possible, terms used on the site (say, in “Historical Context”) will link to the glossary for quick clarification.
• Production History: A list of past productions and adaptations, to be fleshed out with any useful information or bits of miscellany (would like to include, for instance, any references to the plays found in diaries, any available playbills, etc.) and links to reviews (this particularly for more recent productions).
• Resources: Links, books, articles, films… Anything used in creating the site, and anything that might branch off into further study. As comprehensive as is useful, and annotated to whatever extent is possible.

This will, I believe, be something of a continual work-in-progress; I hope to update it as I find further information, and as theatres mount productions of the piece (that is, I would at least intend to update the production history).

For a couple of examples of the sort of resource I have in mind, see The Importance of Being Earnest (among others) at CENTERSTAGE (should say that I did contribute to and help [to some extent or another] plan those, so that general layout and such may be kept in mind while proceeding with this project) and She Stoops to Conquer at the McCarter Theatre. (The Guthrie's play guides also tend to serve as quite useful resources. Uploaded pdfs more than interactive websites, but often quite a bit of information included.)

As I've been vaguely hoping to create something of this sort for a little while, now (though the thought-focus had been more along the lines of, oh, O'Neill's Iceman Cometh, which may become a further project), I'm quite excited to play around with this and see what may come. So, hey, onward to the world of Farquhar, and all.