Shakespearean Actors Present Workshops

Back for a return engagement at Fairmont State University, the American Shakespeare Center will conduct three free public workshops during their week of residence, Jan. 21-27, 2007.

The first two workshops will be held on Tuesday evening, Jan. 23, 2007. At 7 p.m., "Shakespeare on Your Feet," will take place in the Wallman Hall Theatre. Participants will explore the dynamic of performing Shakespeare, rather than merely reading the text. They will take a line of text of a short exchange between characters and perform a variety of vocal, physical and emotional exercises designed to make the text come alive. By teaching participants how to make Shakespeare's language their own, the ASC on Tour will help to dispel the myth that Shakespeare is "difficult" or "boring." Participants are hereby informed that they will be "on their feet"--speaking, shouting, singing and blowing the dust off the notion that Shakespeare wrote stuffy junk.

At 8:15 the same evening, also in Wallman Hall Theatre, "Shakespeare and Leaders"will be held. The last decade has seen a spate of leadership books based upon lessons from Shakespeare. Though purists have ridiculed these books, the fact is that all drama is about people obtaining--or failing to obtain--something they want from others. Shakespeare understood this dynamic, so his plays offer clear models of leadership, while the process of staging his plays incorporates the tools of leadership. The ASC on Tour will look at some of the leadership models included in the plays on the 2006/2007 tour and use those models to demonstrate both the vocal and the physical tools of leadership.

On Saturday morning, Jan. 27, 2007, at 10 a.m., the final workshop will take place. In "Stage Combat," actors from the troupe will demonstrate techniques of stage combat and explain the decisions that went into choreographing the stage violence in the tour productions. What are the goals of the director and fight coordinator in planning stage combat? How does the text suggest the quality, quantity and shape of the stage violence? How does the character influence fight choreography?

Workshops are free to participants. For more information, call (304) 367-4300.

Public school drama teachers interested in obtaining CEU for these workshops may sign in for each one, write a detailed description of each workshop and keep a detailed record of the actual activities for each workshop. This material may then be submitted to the county school authority in charge of granting Continuing Education Units.