About the Program

Shakespeare In Our Words is a playbuilding program designed to engage youth participants in creating original theater based on the plots of Shakespeare's plays. Through the process of playbuilding, participants are introduced to improvisation activities that enable them to create original staging and dialogue. Through reflection activities, the ensemble revises their improvised scenes and works toward creating final play.

Program Goals

• Increase collaboration skills through group theater making
• Support projection, expression, and
• Create specific characterization
• Ownership over the final product

Everybody Act! partnered with International High School at Lafayette (IHSL) to offer Shakespeare In Our Words to English Language Learners as part of IHSL's after school drama program. Everybody Act! Teaching Artist Kevin Ray and IHSL Drama Teacher Leah Hamilton worked with the students over fourteen two hour sessions to create this original performance of Shakespeare's slapstick farce. In this production, the mythical setting of the original play, Ephesis, was re-imagined under the big top to highlight the zany mix ups of the story. The circus frame also offered opportunities for developing circus acts such as juggling, plate spinning, and clowning. The Duke became the Ring Master, The Abbess a Fortune Teller, and Dr. Pinch a Snake Charmer.