Jobsite launches online build-a-sonnet project

Bored and restless in self-isolation, members of the Jobsite Theater community have come up with a novel way to interact, in an actor-ly way: An online variation on the word game Mad Libs.

Artistic director David Jenkins and company member Roxanne Fay – the leading players in the scrubbed-for-the-time-being production of Doubt: A Parable – appear in a video posted on the Jobsite website, soliciting fans, friends and member of the community to participate in Madlib the Bard. The idea, Jenkins and Fay explain, is to create a unique Shakespearean sonnet, using words submitted via the internet.

Here’s the video. Let’s let them explain it:

Donations for Jobsite – all but shut down, of course, during the current crisis – are required, no matter how small.

“In phase 2,” according to the website, “we will open a timed bid for folks to select any ensemble member (they don’t even have to be an actor!) they want to self-tape a dramatic (?) interpretation of the finished sonnet.”

The plea goes on to say: “Look, we’re not computer programmers nor do we have a super high-tech website. We’re sure that we could have put something together easier to work with but we wanted to try to get something out rough-and-ready. If this first trial goes well, we’ll look to see how we can improve it. If you like the idea, we can keep doing these as a way to entertain you and help us toward our Annual Campaign goal — now even more critical considering all that is going on.

“Have fun!”