Welcome to the 2017-2018 School Year!

Welcome! Last year was a lot of fun as students explored various plays, beginning with a children's adaptation of Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac, followed by The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Then, in the spring, we focused all semester on Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island.

This class is designed to introduce students to the craft of acting through classical literature. We do everything from Greek myths to Shakespeare to Charles Dickens. And not to worry: any "grown up" plays we study will be children's adaptations, usually lighthearted and silly. For example, fall semester we will focus on Shakespeare's Hamlet (just like the high school Shakespeare class will be!). However, unlike the high school class's version, ours will be silly, age-appropriate and farcical. The kids are going to have a great time wearing silly costumes and dying dramatically on stage. Of course we will discuss some of the deeper themes of the story (the danger and folly of revenge, for example), but overall it will be a fun time for students to perform silly characters.

Some brief information for you:

1. Acting is the primary focus of this class. We will read a script together, hold auditions, and each student will be assigned a role. I do my best to accommodate each student according to his/her ability, reading level, and interest, but obviously it's not possible to give every student his or her desired role every time. More information can be found in the class syllabus.
2. Sometimes, depending on the roles available and the make-up of the class, we will need to have a gender-blind cast in order for everyone to participate.
3. If you're interested in what we're doing in class, my blog is updated regularly. It will keep you posted on the rehearsal schedule, costuming information, and performances.

I'm looking forward to a wonderful year with my class!