- teaching philosophy -
why study shakespeare?
because as a poet, dramatist, and humorist, Shakespeare sets the bar high for bold, powerful storytelling. As a man of the 16th century theatre, he champions the modern actor to tell stories that reverberate in the 21st century. As he deepens our compassion and challenges our mind, Shakespeare continues to be the torch bearer for modern drama.
-my approach to shakespeare-
play the music
ignite the imagination
discover the heartbeat
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play the music...
first we practice techniques in scansion and rhetoric that help us read and hear the music that Shakespeare wrote. At the same time, physical and vocal exercises are incorporated to expand our range, building the chops to play that music. Through the process of honoring the text or score, Shakespeare's characters come to life through the uniqueness of each performer.
ignite the imagination...
then we use the text to expand the range of our mind's eye as we explore circumstances unique to Shakespeare's time, yet filled with the complexities and contradictions in human nature that we recognize today. Hundreds of years before 'psychology' was even invented, the imaginative world of his plays take us deeper into our own humanity as we hold the "mirror up to nature".
discover the heartbeat...
unlocking Shakespeare's verse, prose and use of rhetorical devises takes us to the argument of his characters and to their very thought processes, breath patterns and emotional shifts. I actually think he guides us to the heartbeat of each character and collectively, to the symphony of the entire play.
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words....words....words
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Discover!
