The Atlanta Shakespeare Company Expands its Educational Outreach
Shakespeare Intensive for Teens summer camp/ Clown Workshop
T
he Education branch of The Atlanta Shakespeare Company has grown exponentially in the company’s 30 year history. Even in the very beginning, they were offering matinee performances for all of the students at the Clayton County Performing Arts Center, a once-a-year touring production that reached every Senior in that county. Soon, they branched out to performing student matinees of their evening shows in their own space, The Shakespeare Tavern. Twice a week, students from all over the state packed into the casual 175-seat house to watch a Shakespeare play being performed. Now, 25 years later, those students are grown and bringing their partners and children to see plays and the company presents matinees four days a week to 300 students a day. In 2002, they expanded by offering Original Practice training to actors through their Apprentice Company. Many of the first apprentices have started their own theatre companies in Georgia and other states, many are teaching new apprentices, most are still performing on the Tavern stage, and a handful are full time administrative staff. In addition to the on-going student matinee performances which run throughout
the school year, the Education Department offers touring shows, playshops and workshops at schools, full residencies at schools, homeschool programs, Summer camps for kids of all ages, and a Shakespeare Intensive for Teens program which immerses high school kids in a month-long intensive where they learn how to produce and perform a full-length Shakespeare play as well as the fundamentals of Original Practice. Through these programs, the Education Department reaches over 30,000 students annually from all over Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee and Florida. The Department continues to expand to fresh territories with their newly implemented digital learning series. Their 2019-2020 touring shows are now available to watch online and include study guides and quiz assignments! Their 2020 Summer Camps will be offered digitally as well. Parents and teachers all over the world now have access to the deep well of learning about Shakespeare in fun and engaging ways. The motto of the department “Making the world safe through iambic pentameter” has never been more true than now!
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