Acting Shakespeare

This course is an intensive study of Shakespeare's dramatic works from the point of view of the actor. It is important to remember that Shakespeare's verse dramas were written to be performed and that only when they are approached this way—as playable, theatrical texts—do they have their maximum impact. Through text analysis, scene study, vocal work, and acting exercises we attempt to find, not only the meaning, but the music and theatrical power of Shakespeare's words. We spend a great deal of class time discussing blank verse and the different techniques for speaking it out loud and work to develop the end-of-line breath support needed to perform this language. We also study such topics as scansion, phrasing, word emphasis, antithesis, and imagery.