Shakespeare in the Woods: VERSE & PARAPHRASE WORKSHOP
A 2-day weekend student workshop on Labor Day Weekend (September 5-6th)
on The Grassy Stage at The Equinox Resort Hotel in Manchester, VT
This class is designed to introduce young actors to Shakespeare’s language in an accessible way that removes barriers and utilizes our contemporary imagination. We’ll go through voice & movement warm ups, and then dive into the text from the ground up (verse, paraphrase, activation). Attendees will work with SitW's Founder and Artistic Director, Katharine Maness, to learn how to explore Shakespeare’s text emotionally, physically, and intellectually - outside!
12 student max capacity. Ages: 9-15yrs old* (*Exceptions on a case by case basis.)
DESCRIPTION
Shakespeare has endured for hundreds of years, but for audiences and performers alike, it often feels like poetry that sounds pretty but is confusing, outdated, and inaccessible. There is a connective thread between Shakespeare’s original text and relatable themes of our contemporary moment - so how do we as actors connect to what is essentially a foreign language, in order to activate the truth and relevance at the heart of every Shakespeare play?
The language is a roadmap for understanding a character’s emotional life, objectives, and relationships - but we need to first figure out what we’re saying in our own words to then have a command on Shakespeare’s language. In this regard, Shakespeare is no different than other material: If we don’t understand what we’re saying or what we’re doing, how can we expect the audience to understand? In this 2-day workshop, we’ll focus on using the vital tool of “Paraphrasing”, applying our own unique insight and experiences to make the work personal, urgent, relatable, and activated.
Material: Short (60-90 seconds) monologues or two character scene work that students will be provided one week prior to the workshop.
COST
$180 total per individual* (*Payment plans available)
To Register: email shakespeareinthewoodsvt@gmail.com with subject line "Weekend Workshop" and include how many students, their ages, and experience with Shakespeare (if applicable). Please also note any payment plan requests as needed. We will reply with a payment link and confirmation of registration.
SCHEDULE OVERVIEW
Day 1 (Sept 5th)
Morning half: Warm ups; Info 101: Iambic Pentameter, Verse vs Prose, and Paraphrase through exercises; Read and breakdown the text together
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Lunch
Afternoon half: Begin Activation and specifying the text with Paraphrase
Day 2 (Sept 6th)
Morning half: Warm ups; Review what we learned and continue to work pieces
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Lunch
Afternoon half: “Staged Reading” style performance of pieces; Feedback & reflections