Why Teach Shakespeare?

Originally posted to blogspot on July 9, 2017

​When I first started teaching theater, as I excitedly told my friends and coworkers what I was planning to do for my fall production, I was met with doubt. Romeo & Juliet? Why would anyone want to direct Shakespeare? Why would anyone want to direct Shakespeare with teenagers?

My decision was threefold.

1. I love Shakespeare. I want to spread my love of Shakespeare.
2. I needed a royalty-free play that I could perform that fall because we were left with $100 in the drama club budget. I had already written a plan for a college directing class, so I had an idea of how to tackle R&J. I also knew that we could put up a Shakespeare play with one minimalist set (set build shown right).
3. I knew that directing epic fight scenes would draw some of the boys back into the theater program, and if there's anything high school theater directors can agree on, it's that it's hard to get boys to audition.

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