Education
AASC at NJCU’s educational programming is designed to cultivate an appreciation for Shakespeare and other classic works. In a dynamic and participatory format, students are directly engaged in both the analysis and performance of plays and live theatre. All of the workshops are developed and led by ASC at NJCU’s professional actors.
Programs: Workshop, Residency and Main Stage
Workshops
Acting Classical Text
Stage Combat
Elizabethan Theatre
Play Specific (Ex: Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet)
Designed for school age students, workshops are flexible in length and may held be during regular school hours or after school. ASC at NJCU will work with teachers and administrators to design individual programs that suit the needs of each school or class.
Residencies
Three day, in-class residencies provide students with a unique opportunity to:
• Analyze the characters, language, conflicts and themes of specific plays
• Act out excerpts of the play themselves
• View an abbreviated version of the play
Through our workshops and residencies students develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for the texts. They are provided an opportunity to develop confidence, communication skills, physical and verbal abilities, imagination, and team building.
Program Follow Up
Teachers are provided with a detailed study guide including follow up questions and discussion topics. ASC representatives are available to teachers and students for follow up questions.
Main Stage Productions
Students and teachers are also invited to our main stage productions, offered as special matinee performances on school days. Following the performance students will engage in a Q&A with the cast.
Our 2009-2010 Season:
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream: By William Shakespeare. Mismatched Lovers. Feuding Fairies. And a Man with the head of a Donkey. Shakespeare’s wild and warm comedy of moonlight, magic and romance. Appropriate for students from fourth grade through high school. (March 2010)
Student and Teacher Testimonials
FROM TEACHERS:
“The students remarked how they will never forget the experience and how they now understood what Shakespeare intended for his audiences. Students have learned the influence of culture and history in creating a work of art.”
“You emphasized one of the most crucial elements of learning--not knowing the answers, but knowing what questions to ask!”
“I noticed many of the students began taking on active roles in the class by becoming involved in [the activities], which built on their confidence and self esteem.”
“Due to the extensive group work during these [workshops], the class came together as a whole. The children learned to interact in a positive manner.”
FROM STUDENTS:
“They let us participate and act along with them and that’s what made it even better.”
“Before I didn’t really like Shakespeare and thought Romeo and Juliet was boring – now I feel much different. They helped me understand it and actually made it interesting. I hope they come back.”
“The play was wonderful. I liked the fact that the actors involved the audience by speaking to us.”
“Finally! I was able to sit through Romeo & Juliet and actually understand it!”
“Classical thought has posed the question of human purpose for centuries. Nowhere in the English language is that quest more fully drawn than in the works of William Shakespeare. By taking his plays off the page and standing them firmly on the stage we give the next generation the opportunity to make a connection to their profound truths.” |
For additional program information, please contact:
551-200-2931 or email: education@ascnj.org
