Shakespeare 101
July 18 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Eastern
Art Form
ActingChapter
Hampton RoadsProgram Type
ClassStep into the world of Shakespeare through an engaging, hands-on exploration of his language with Virginia Stage Company’s Perry Producing Artistic Director Tom Quaintance. This workshop will guide you through the process of bringing Shakespeare’s words to life, beginning with strategies for breaking down and understanding the text.
We’ll cover the fundamentals of iambic pentameter and scansion, with a focus on recognizing and working with how rhythm, stress, and verse structure can open up a character’s intention. You’ll learn to discover the clues Shakespeare poured into the language, and how to avoid the traps that make it sound old timey instead of action packed.
We’ll end the day with a short ensemble performance, giving participants the opportunity to practice their new skills. Whether new to Shakespeare or looking to strengthen existing experience, you’ll leave with greater confidence, stronger text analysis tools, and a deeper appreciation for the power and accessibility of Shakespeare’s work.
About the Instructor
Tom Quaintance is Producing Artistic Director of Virginia Stage Company. He has directed more Shakespeare than any other author, with VSC’s Henry V his 18th production. “Shakespeare is the best theatre teacher in history,” Tom says. “If you can act Shakespeare, you can act anything.” When he was a 20-year-old usher at the Guthrie Theatre he saw A Midsummer Night’s Dream a dozen times, his mind blown that Shakespeare could be funny, surprising and sexy.
This class is produced in partnership with Virginia Stage Company.