Brave New Bard (Ages 12+)

Shakespeare Reimagined.

What if Shakespeare wasn't confusing... but your greatest acting superpower?

For over 400 years, Shakespeare's stories have captivated audiences with unforgettable characters, breathtaking language, and timeless themes of love, ambition, revenge, comedy, and courage. Yet for many young actors, classical theatre feels intimidating—something reserved for "serious actors."

Brave New Bard changes that.

Designed for curious performers and literature lovers alike, this immersive class breaks down Shakespeare into practical, exciting, and approachable techniques that make his work come alive. Students will learn to confidently understand, analyze, and perform classical text while discovering that Shakespeare is often far more humorous, relatable, and accessible than they ever imagined.

Through engaging activities, scene work, monologue coaching, and collaborative exploration, students will gain the confidence to tackle one of theatre's greatest challenges—and develop skills that will elevate every performance they give, whether they're acting Shakespeare, contemporary theatre, film, or musical theatre.

Throughout the session, students will explore:

🎭 Classical acting techniques

📖 Understanding Shakespeare's language and storytelling

🎵 The rhythm and power of iambic pentameter

🗣 Pronunciation and speaking verse with confidence

✏️ Scoring scripts to uncover meaning, emotion, and intention

📚 Navigating Shakespeare's lexicon and unfamiliar vocabulary

🎬 Character development for classical theatre

❤️ Finding the humanity behind iconic characters

🎤 Selecting and preparing Shakespeare audition material

🎭 Scene and monologue work from plays such as:

• Hamlet

• Macbeth

• Romeo & Juliet

• A Midsummer Night's Dream

• The Tempest

Students will discover that Shakespeare is about telling powerful stories with clarity, imagination, and emotional truth.

Each class combines theatre games, collaborative scene work, movement, discussion, and performance coaching to create an encouraging environment where students are free to experiment, ask questions, and take creative risks.

And in the process, they'll develop stronger reading comprehension, analytical thinking, and communication skills that benefit them far beyond the stage.

Students Will Learn:

🎭 Classical acting techniques

📖 Shakespearean text analysis

🎵 Understanding and performing iambic pentameter

🗣 Confident verse speaking and vocal technique

✏️ Script scoring and annotation

🎬 Character development for classical theatre

❤️ Emotional storytelling and audience connection

🎤 Shakespeare audition preparation

📚 Reading comprehension and literary analysis

💡 Critical thinking and interpretation

🧠 Memorization strategies

🎯 Stage presence and confidence

🤝 Collaboration through scene work

🎨 Creative problem-solving

📢 Public speaking and presentation skills

🌟 Appreciation for classical literature and theatre history

Perfect For…

✔ Students who love acting and want to challenge themselves

✔ Musical theatre performers looking to strengthen their acting technique

✔ Young actors preparing for auditions, festivals, competitions, or conservatory programs

✔ Students interested in English literature and storytelling

✔ Performers who want to stand out by mastering a skill many actors are too intimidated to pursue

✔ Anyone who's ever thought, "I don't get Shakespeare."

Why Shakespeare?

Learning Shakespeare is about becoming a more versatile, confident, and thoughtful as an actor.

Classical training strengthens reading comprehension, vocabulary, textual analysis, public speaking, and emotional intelligence while teaching performers how to make bold, intentional acting choices. Whether students go on to perform Shakespeare professionally or never step into another Elizabethan role, the skills they gain in this class will elevate every audition, every scene, and every performance that follows.

Because once you can make Shakespeare feel alive... you can make any story unforgettable.

Class information:

• Ages 12+

• Sundays 10:00am-12:00pm

• Start date: September 13, 2026

• End date: December 6, 2026

• Final showcase performance: Sunday, December 6, 2026 @ 10:30am