INSTITUTE FORMAT & SCHEDULE
The two-week program will run from 10AM-5PM Monday through Friday and will be broken into morning and afternoon sessions. The morning sessions will be led by a two-member team of Professor Molly Murray of Columbia University and Professor Mario DiGangi of Lehman College, CUNY, both of whom are leading scholars in their field. Each morning, the professors will delve into the world of Shakespeare, his theatre, and contemporaries. Beginning with historical accounts of the man and the Elizabethan world that shaped his writings, these discussions will range from the origins and historical contexts of the plays featured in the Institute to Shakespeare’s use of language as a dramatic tool, and everything in between. Morning discussions during the second week will hone in more specifically on the plays to be studied, with special attention paid to genre, character, plot, relationships, and the language with which Shakespeare’s expresses and regulates all of these elements.
Of course Shakespeare did not write his plays to be studied as literature, but rather to be performed and enjoyed by audiences. Therefore, the afternoon sessions will focus on the concepts from the morning discussion by providing the opportunity to practice acting and directing techniques for performing Shakespeare. As project director, I will guide these afternoon activities which will be led by a team of two master teaching artists, a Yale-educated director and a classically trained actor. The focus will be on the analysis and performance of three sets of key scenes from the studied plays. Additionally, guided practice in formulating writing exercises will help you to aid students in better understanding Shakespearean themes. Through studying, editing, directing and performing in these sets of scenes, you will gain the confidence of engaging with and speaking Shakespeare’s poetry that you can then bring back to your home classrooms.
Program Schedule
Week 1
Day 1: Introduction: Shakespeare’s England
MORNING: At the first morning session, Professors DiGangi and Murray will provide general information on the life and times of Shakespeare. The central discussion will explore the various types of plays he wrote, how the plays were created, how they were compiled for publication, and where Romeo and Juliet, Taming of the Shrew, and Henry V fit into the body of his work. We will explore controversies surrounding the authorship of the plays and the collaborative nature of playwriting. Discussion will also cover the England of Shakespeare’s day, the political history and influences of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, and historical events that shaped both Shakespeare’s life and his writing. Specific themes such as how Shakespeare balanced the competing pressures of catering to general audiences and the nobility will also be examined.
AFTERNOON: Participants will be divided into three groups of ten: Groups A, B, and C. The groups will divide up the three preliminary scenes from the three selected plays. Each of the three scenes introduces the key male figure and the conflicts or obstacles that will set him in motion. Group A will perform Romeo and Juliet (Act I, scene ii), in which Romeo describes his current infatuation with Rosaline. Group B will perform Taming of the Shrew (Act I, scene ii), in which Petruchio makes his wager that he can woo and marry Katherine. Group C will perform Henry V (Act I, scene ii), in which the Young King Henry consults with his advisors regarding the impending war with France. Each group will select a director and assign roles, and then conduct sit-down readings of scenes. Groups will determine the meaning of the scene and begin rehearsing. A general discussion will explore what the next steps will be in terms of determining the motivation of characters and the interpretation of the scenes.
Day 2: The Source of Inspiration
MORNING: Discussion will center on what sources Shakespeare drew from to find ideas for his plays and what factors influenced him to choose certain themes and topics at different times in his career. Particular attention will be paid to the origins of the plays featured in the Institute. The history of Elizabethan England will be used to illuminate Shakespeare’s choices in an historical context.
AFTERNOON: Participants will be introduced to the key terms of dramatic vocabulary: Conflict, Obstacles, and Tactics. Each group will identify, with assistance from teaching artists, where each of these dramatic elements appears in the scenes you are rehearsing and how the action unfolds as a result. A general discussion will focus on how conflicts, obstacles, and tactics manifest differently in comedies, tragedies, and histories. Individual group directors will continue rehearsing scenes, adding blocking. All group directors will discuss the interpretations that guide their directorial choices.
Day 3: Language as a Dramatic Tool
MORNING: Shakespeare’s use of iambic pentameter will be examined. Specifically, you will study how the use of verse, both perfect and imperfect, subtly informs moments throughout his works. The session will also investigate Shakespeare’s use of dialogue, soliloquy, and asides as dramatic tools. Questions to be explored include: Is it true that the nobility speak only in verse? When is an aside not an aside? Discussion will also cover how a writer creates his own theatrical voice and how Shakespeare’s own voice evolved and informed his choices of plot and character.
AFTERNOON: You will be coached in speaking the language of Shakespeare’s plays and on the basics of theatrical vocal technique. Each group will perform their scene after which I will lead you in a critical analysis of each scene. You will compare how the plot and characters in each of the plays are introduced, and how Shakespeare portrays the idea of manhood in all three works.
Day 4: Shakespeare and his Publishers
MORNING: This class will include a visit to the Columbia University’s Rare Book room. A librarian from the Rare Book room along with Professor Murray will guide participants in an examination of Shakespeare’s First Folio, Quartos, and other key books from the period. The differences between Quarto and Folio versions of Shakespeare’s works will be explained and how the creation of the Folio expanded the accessibility of these plays. Class discussion will also cover the differences in the various editions of Shakespeare that exist, as well as publishing practices that make interpretation of Shakespeare’s work problematic for publishers, scholars, and artists.
AFTERNOON: The three groups will be assigned a second scene from one of the three plays. These scenes dramatize a pivotal moment where an action taken, purposefully or not, shapes the play’s outcome. Group B will perform Romeo and Juliet (Act III, Scene i), where Romeo kills Juliet’s cousin Tybalt in a duel. Group C will perform Taming of the Shrew (Act IV, scene v), where Katherine submits to Petruchio’s constant contradictions. Group A will perform Henry V (Act IV, scene iii), where Henry delivers the famous St. Crispin’s Day speech.
Day 5: Comedy, Tragedy, and History
MORNING: Using the three plays as a reference point, we will explore the basic elements that identify and differentiate Shakespeare’s comedies, tragedies, and histories. We will cover the various types of conflicts, protagonists, and similarities such as mistaken identities, deceptions, and the trials of lovers. Discussion will then examine how these principles, similarities, and differences manifest themselves in the studied plays.
AFTERNOON: Individual group directors will continue rehearsing scenes, adding blocking. Teaching Artists will work with groups to identify how Shakespeare used language in the scene and how they can harness the rhythm of the language to support directorial choices. Directors will again discuss their interpretations of the scenes.
Week 2
Day 1: The Usual Suspects
MORNING: In the second week, discussions will hone in more specifically on the plays to be studied. At this session, we will examine the different types of men portrayed in each of the works and how these other men are juxtaposed against the lead male character of the play. For example, in The Taming of the Shrew, the male characters will be compared and contrasted with Petruchio. While Lucentio (the romantic), Hortensio (the buffoon), and Grumio (the elderly man) all make the obvious and easy choice of courting Bianca, Petruchio embraces a different and challenging path. Similar exercises will be done with the male characters of Romeo and Juliet and Henry V.
AFTERNOON: This session will cover the concept of character status in a scene, the different levels that exist, and how blocking can convey higher or lower status. Each individual group will perform their scene. You will then offer critical analysis on how each of the lead male characters are viewed or portrayed according to the specific genre of comedy, tragedy and history in which they appear. Which qualities are highlighted and valued, and which ones are downplayed or unaddressed?
Day 2: The Three Ages of Man
MORNING: In this session, we will explore the evolution of manhood as it is illustrated in the different Shakespeare genres of comedy, tragedy, and history. How does Shakespeare dramatize the development of a character from a callow youth to a mature and committed lover? What are the key stages and challenges, and how do they compare and contrast among the different genres?
AFTERNOON: The three groups will be assigned a third and final scene from one of the three plays. These scenes dramatize the resolution of conflict and either the demise or success of the lovers. Group C will perform Romeo and Juliet (Act V, scene iii), in which Romeo, believing Juliet dead, returns to Verona to visit her tomb. Group A will perform Taming of the Shrew (Act V, scene ii), in which Katherine makes her speech regarding the duty of wives to husbands. Group B will perform Henry V (Act V, scene ii), in which Henry woos the Princess Katherine of France.
Day 3: “These violent delights have violent ends.”
MORNING: On Day 3, we will take a look at how violence contributes to the evolution of a play’s plot and the circumstances of the key characters. For example, in Romeo and Juliet, Romeo’s slaying of Tybalt proves to be a pivotal moment from where the remainder of the play’s action spirals out, culminating in the final tragic events. We will discuss how this act of violence impacts his future behavior. In contrast, King Henry’s experiences in battle help him to become less combative as a person. Weathering the violence of war calms his character and aids in his maturation and eventual success as a monarch.
AFTERNOON: There will be no afternoon session on this day. We will arrange options for excursions throughout the city that will enhance the work we are doing in the Institute.
Day 4: “I will be master of what is mine own.”
MORNING: At this session, we will look at how each key male figure’s experience with sexuality changes him. The physical and emotional interaction between males and females is a powerful catalyst in each of the plays, but the results vary. Petruchio’s sense of self, his identity as a male, is heavily invested in his success – not just by winning his bet, but in fully wooing and winning over Kate. Romeo’s consummation of his relationship with Juliet transforms him from a flirting and inconstant youth into a devoted and constant lover. There is also a great deal at stake in Henry’s wooing of Katherine. His success in this endeavor helps legitimize his claim both as a rightful monarch and to the Kingdom of France, but this accomplishment also helps him to become more self-aware as an individual.
AFTERNOON: Examples of performance dynamics will be introduced in this session. You will be familiarized with the basic stable of stock characters – such as the hero or the wise man – that can be used to help students build associations with the more complex characters found in Shakespeare’s work. Exercises that provide tools for constructive scene direction will be demonstrated. These tools can assist students in improving their own scene performance and those of their peers. In addition, you will be introduced to the basic elements of design for a production including sets, lighting, and costumes, and how each of these design elements can enhance a particular scene. Individual group directors will continue rehearsing scenes, adding blocking. All group directors will discuss the interpretations that guide their directorial choices.
Day 5: “Nice customs curtsy to great kings.”
MORNING: For the final morning session, participants will discuss what tangible and intangible results the central male characters achieve when they accomplish, or attempt to accomplish, their goals. While Romeo’s acts of violence and pursuit of love end in his death, both Henry and Petruchio become more complete individuals and achieve personal satisfaction: Henry solidifies his position as king of England as well as France, while Petruchio wins his wager, obtains a spouse and – it can be inferred from the text – finally consummates his marriage by the play’s ending.
AFTERNOON: Each individual group will perform its third and final scene. Participants will offer critical analysis of performances. Staff and Teaching Artists will guide participants in peer assessments and participants will also provide an assessment of Lead Scholars and Teaching Artists. In addition, evaluation forms will be completed by participants for later review by TFANA Education Department staff.
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
In addition to the daily Institute sessions, we will set up a Google group in which you may have ongoing opportunity for “third place” learning, allowing you to continue your inquiry outside of Institute hours and beyond. Access to the Google group will be exclusively for participants, lead scholars, and TFANA Education Department staff and will provide you with a forum that extends the level of content and discussion as well as offering a space for sharing ideas and “best practices” teaching techniques. |
by Milton Glaser
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