Here we do Shakespeare but not just Shakespeare! For multi-week, and in some cases multi-day, residencies, we’ll do classical and modern pieces.
Some of the classical/Greek pieces we can do: The Trojan Women, The Bacchae, Andromache, The Frogs.
Our favourite modern play right now is The Coming Of The Kings by Ted Hughes, UK Poet Laureate from 1984-1998.
And of course the Shakespearean standards: King Lear, The Tempest, Romeo & Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth.
How these residencies work
Typically, three artists come to your school for 2-3 weeks. Usually, we send a director, a designer, and a choreographer. The director auditions students and casts the play, then rehearses with the students cast in the principal roles throughout the next week. The designer works with interested art classes to build set, prop and costume items for the play. The choreographer meets with gym and or dance classes to introduce all the students to contact improvisation, tableaux and creative movement. Those who are interested can join the movement choruses. The last few days of the project bring all the elements together to make the whole.
Why do we make them so big? It’s got to do with a sense of community – we like to call it the barn-raising approach to theatre. It’s way more fun, and more irresistible, to bring a huge group into a creative process. There’s just more momentum behind it all that way.
We also offer a program where two professional actors and a director will come out and work with a smaller group of your students to do a play with minimal set or costumes.
We love doing these projects because it is so much fun to watch the students falling in love with the play, committing to the project and taking ownership of the results. The plays provide opportunities for many students, who may be struggling in traditional learning environments, to flourish and gain self and peer esteem. There is nothing like the magic that happens when students surprise themselves and their peers by excelling in front of the whole school.
Funding Assistance
The Alberta Foundation for the Arts provides funding to schools on an annual basis. 50% of your costs can be covered by the AFA grant if your school is in the Edmonton area or Calgary area, and 75% can be covered throughout the rest of Alberta. Click here to download application forms and guidelines for the AFA’s Artists in Education project grant.
The grant application process for a residency is more complicated than that for our one-day workshop/performance productions. Theatre Prospero will be happy to help with your grant application. Please contact us for help.
A testimonial
“Even playing a small part in a group scene like that, I absolutely adored it… You have taught me to do your best, and hope it turns out all right. In this case it did. I’ve never truly been happy practicing things for drama before, but this time it was different… you helped me see what acting is about… it’s true love for what you are doing… “
Elizabeth Hobbs, Grade 7 Student (1997-98?)
Laurier Heights Elementary Junior High
(directing our 2010-11 production of Macbeth!)
