Message from the Education Director

Dear Educator:

The works of William Shakespeare don’t belong in a contemporary American classroom.

I say this not to dissuade the teaching of his plays. Quite the contrary. Shakespeare’s works are the hallmark by which all other dramatic texts are judged. Few plays have ever reached this zenith. And if you are reading this I bet you believe something like this, too.

What makes his works so lasting, so eternally permeating, is not what they say on the page, but what they mean to be spoken. To be heard. Reading Shakespeare in a book is a necessary but inherently incomplete experience in that his words were always meant to be performed with the full force and totality of being that we as humans have to offer; otherwise, it’s like trying to read the sheet music instead of hearing the whole orchestra play.

And it is for this reason that I say that Shakespeare’s works don’t belong in a classroom; it’s more appropriate to say that they don’t ONLY belong in a classroom. They belong everywhere. What the Bard has to teach us about ourselves runs much deeper than deciphering the dictionary definitions of his language as though it were some mysterious puzzle box. We want students to not just understand WHAT he was saying, but what he was SAYING.

About his society and about ours. About his contemporaries and about ours. About his humanity. And about ours.

We believe that Shakespeare is best when active, engaged, and energetic. We believe that witnessing a live performance of his work is key to comprehending the nuance in his stories and themes. We believe that getting on one’s feet and fully engaging the body, voice, heart, and soul when speaking these immortal words is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences that a person can have. And we would love to create these opportunities for your students. Because we also believe you are teaching Shakespeare in ways that reach out to your students, which engage your students, and make your students want to learn more.

Core Curriculum Matinee Series dates: Click on the "Student Matinees" link to your left. To book tickets call our box office at 404-874-5299 x 0. All dates and titles subject to change. Call or email to see if tickets are still available!

Touring Production come to your school: We have performances perfectly suited to any audience age-group you’re looking to accommodate, whether its Shakespeare 4 Kids for our youngest friends, R&J:60 for those who want pure, concentrated Shakespeare, or Shakespeare: the Language that Shaped a World for a broader understanding of the man behind the words. Contact Andrew Houchins for more information at 404-874-5299 ext. 57 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

A new online presence…and here’s where I need your advice: The Education Department would like to have a stronger online presence, but with the wealth of social media sites to choose from I want to make sure that we chose a format that will best suit the needs of our dedicated Tavern Teachers. I’ve created a 30-second, 4-question survey to learn how you prefer to receive information, and I’d greatly appreciate your input: Here.

Thanks a million for your input!

Playshop Offerings: We offer Playshops for all ages to serve your classroom needs, from a Playshop which uses theatre games to develop students’ classroom skills to programs geared towards the specific titles you are currently teaching. Contact Andrew Houchins for more information at 404-874-5299 ext. 57 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) . A Playshop on ANY Shakespeare play is ALWAYS available.

Contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for more information about the following:

‘Design Your Shakespeare Classroom’: Our Education Artists implement more Residencies than ever before in schools around the Metro Atlanta area. Residencies range from 1 week to 8 weeks, in-class or after-school, and are very flexible…let us tailor one for your specific needs.

Field Trip opportunities: We offer a Playhouse and Theater Tour at our Elizabethan-style playhouse in combination with matinees for smaller school groups, and Question and Answer sessions after any matinee, for any size school group.

We look forward to working with you to create the most rewarding experience possible for your students.

All my best,

Laura Cole
Director of Education and Training
404-273-6941 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)