Frequently Asked Questions

 

Why go to England for this experience? Can’t students see and study Shakespeare’s plays in the United States?

The chance to study William Shakespeare’s works while also absorbing his life and times in this richly historical setting is an experience that is not available in the United States. Even if high school students can attend a great production of a Shakespeare play in the locale where they live, such attendance is often an isolated and unexamined experience; they don’t get a chance to discuss that particular performance with actors, production staff or the director, or even to compare notes with classmates the next day.

Attending a workshop in Stratford-upon-Avon gives students a chance to travel to a world famous historical setting for a unique experience.

 

Who are the individuals at the SBT who lead these workshops?

Dr. Nick Walton is Shakespeare Courses Development Manager in Shakespeare Studies and a Lecturer at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. He has taught at the Universities of Warwick and Reading, and currently serves as the Executive Secretary to the International Shakespeare Association.

Dr. Elizabeth Woledge is a lecturer in Shakespeare Studies at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. She has taught at the Universities of Chester, Liverpool and Manchester (Met.)

 

Students in Stratford-upon-Avon

 

Won’t students be bored by this extension of their school year? Will it be too “academic”?

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust operates classes that are tailored to the particular needs of the groups who come to Stratford. The multimedia presentation at the Visitor Center, the outstanding performances of Shakespeare’s plays by the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the great variety of stimulating activities and sight-seeing keep the pace stimulating and fresh.

What the Lakeside students said:

Liam: "The trip was a blast, and I would recommend others to take it in the future."

Maile: "I would take this course again in a heartbeat, and will recommend it to my peers."

Mykaylla: "This trip was an amazing learning experience, which could turn absolutely anyone into a fan of the theater, and specifically Shakespeare."

Sophie: "I enjoyed the trip we had very much, and can honestly say that no lecture or activity felt meaningless to me."

Ben: "My only suggestion for future trips would be more of the same."

Lucia: "I cannot think readily of a single thing to change about the trip…Our time in Stratford truly surpassed everything that I expected."

Dan: "One of the best things about this trip was that I was finally able to see why Shakespeare is held in such high esteem…I also learned more about acting through the interactive sessions we had with Kelly Hunter, the wig maker, and the voice coach."

Simone: "All of the lectures were informative and engaging…it would be nice if it could be longer."

Click here to read complete testimonials.

 

Students at work

 

How relevant is Shakespeare these days?

Shakespeare’s plays are performed and studied all over the world today. Contemporary movie adaptations have been made of Shakespeare plays, including Ran (Akira Kurosawa, 1985), based on King Lear; Romeo + Juliet (Baz Luhrmann, 1996, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes); and many others.

Shakespeare’s plays continue to inspire visual artists as well. One American sculptor, Greg Wyatt has found inspiration in Shakespeare’s plays by creating the Sculpture Education Trail within the Great Garden at New Place in Stratford-upon-Avon. Greg Wyatt has interpreted eight plays of Shakespeare in bronze, inviting the viewers to respond and interact with the forms in the sculptures. And he has inspired emerging British and American artists as well – their sculptures are in the Tree Garden.

Student groups from Europe to India have come to Stratford for the workshops. Shakespeare’s oeuvre is still, 400 years after his death, an international topic of artistic and cultural stimulation because of the universality of his themes.

 

For more information about how you can set up a school-based trip, please contact:

Fay Isik Wyatt
Vice President/Secretary
American Friends of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
The National Arts Club
15 Gramercy Park South, Suite 9D
New York, NY 10003

Telephone: 212.533.2102
E-mail: americanfriendsofsbt@gmail.com