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My students are really excited to try performing a Shakespearean play this year.  It is my first time directing Shakespeare and I am SUPER intimidated by it.  I am also torn on which show to choose.  I have narrowed it down to three: Midsummer, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.  I feel like Midsummer is the safest choice--the kids are the most familiar with it and the audiences would be likely be more familiar with it than the other two.  Twelfth Night seems really suited to some of the actors that I will have in the class that will be performing the show.  And, I'm just gaga over The Tempest--it is one of my favorite Shakespearean plays and I think the kids would do well with it.  Any suggestions from some of your experiences with directing Shakespeare that might help me make my decision?

Thanks so much!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Columbia MO
------------------------------

Oh, yeah.  Yes.  Go for it.

I would recommend both The Tempest and Midsummer as a first go.  

My biggest piece of advice is to wrestle with the script yourself for several reads and when you feel comfortable doing so, take a pencil to it-- taking the opportunity to shape the script for your production. 

One of the other things I really like about producing Shakespeare is that the works lend themselves to interpretation-- settings in different time periods, gender bending casting (Prospera instead of Prospero for example).

I hope you have a lot of fun with the work.

------------------------------
Michael Johnson
Trinity NC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-10-2017 15:58
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: Shakespearean Play Selection

My students are really excited to try performing a Shakespearean play this year.  It is my first time directing Shakespeare and I am SUPER intimidated by it.  I am also torn on which show to choose.  I have narrowed it down to three: Midsummer, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.  I feel like Midsummer is the safest choice--the kids are the most familiar with it and the audiences would be likely be more familiar with it than the other two.  Twelfth Night seems really suited to some of the actors that I will have in the class that will be performing the show.  And, I'm just gaga over The Tempest--it is one of my favorite Shakespearean plays and I think the kids would do well with it.  Any suggestions from some of your experiences with directing Shakespeare that might help me make my decision?

Thanks so much!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Columbia MO
------------------------------

I have loved the Shakespeare that we have done. Just a word on editing. Several summers ago I worked with the American Shakespeare Center in Virginia. The best piece of advice I received was to "dissect" rather than "amputate". 

By all means do your own edit. You can easily download a full text to a word document. I work a scene at a time with a highlighter tool. Ruthlessly remove anything you can-- not full characters or scenes just extra words. Keep your ear attuned to rhyme and rhythm while you are at it. The advantage to doing it this way is to save both documents.  Later when you are working with the cut on stage and something doesn't work you can easily refer to the highlighted full text and see if it's a logic issue related to the cut. 

For Midsummer I made Egeus a mother rather than a father and gender bent most of the mechanicals with girls playing men.  Pyramus was male because of the plot. I added a dance with a flock of fairy dancers and the kids had great fun designing head pieces for all of the fairies. I like the concept of making Titania and her gang all air spirits - flowing blue chiffon dance dresses, and Oberon and Puck very much grounded earth spirits in browns and greens. 

Most of of all relax and have fun. When you have done your work and can answer any questions kids raise about meaning they are not only up to the task of performing Shakespeare that will have a blast doing it!


"Take pains. Be perfect. Adieu."
Original Message:
Sent: 07-10-2017 17:49
From: Michael Johnson
Subject: Shakespearean Play Selection

Oh, yeah.  Yes.  Go for it.

I would recommend both The Tempest and Midsummer as a first go.  

My biggest piece of advice is to wrestle with the script yourself for several reads and when you feel comfortable doing so, take a pencil to it-- taking the opportunity to shape the script for your production. 

One of the other things I really like about producing Shakespeare is that the works lend themselves to interpretation-- settings in different time periods, gender bending casting (Prospera instead of Prospero for example).

I hope you have a lot of fun with the work.

------------------------------
Michael Johnson
Trinity NC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-10-2017 15:58
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: Shakespearean Play Selection

My students are really excited to try performing a Shakespearean play this year.  It is my first time directing Shakespeare and I am SUPER intimidated by it.  I am also torn on which show to choose.  I have narrowed it down to three: Midsummer, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.  I feel like Midsummer is the safest choice--the kids are the most familiar with it and the audiences would be likely be more familiar with it than the other two.  Twelfth Night seems really suited to some of the actors that I will have in the class that will be performing the show.  And, I'm just gaga over The Tempest--it is one of my favorite Shakespearean plays and I think the kids would do well with it.  Any suggestions from some of your experiences with directing Shakespeare that might help me make my decision?

Thanks so much!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Columbia MO
------------------------------

There's no need to be intimidated--just be prepared! There are a lot of great resources to help you on your path.
I've directed a lot of Shakespeare productions (maybe 20+?) in my career with different ages and ability levels, including the ones that you list here. So I'll just ramble a little about my experience. Your miles will vary, naturally. 

I agree that Midsummer is just about the best entry point for performers and audiences, and has the benefit of having terrific and memorable roles that don't require a lot of memorization. (A kid gets more audience recognition and a bigger boost from playing Snug than from playing Curio.) You can also cut this one so that the number of lines is more equal across characters, and you have flexibility in choosing to double Titania/Oberon/Puck and Hippolyta/Theseus/Philostrate--or not, depending on your numbers. It's got comedy, romance, and magic--and everyone tends to latch on to at least one of those aspects. If you have kids who are interested in movement or dance, there are great opportunities with the magical/fairy world for them to shine.  

Twelfth Night is also accessible and fun, and might be the better choice if you have a smaller number of kids hoping for speaking roles. The thing to remember about TN is that it's actually Sir Toby who has the most speaking lines in the play--although a lot will depend on how you end up cutting it. It's a great play if you have musicians and actors who like to sing, because there are several songs in the play that you can either use the traditional tunes for or create originals. TN is darker than Midsummer, which may be what attracts your kids to it.  Depending on your community, the queer themes as Olivia falls in love with "Cesario" or the implied sex between Sebastian and Olivia may or may not cause Muffy to clutch her pearls. I directed it once in a relatively conservative school and got no complaints--as everyone knows, people tend to give Shakespeare a pass when they wouldn't for another playwright.

The Tempest is more lopsided in the line distribution, which will leave you with a challenge to either split Prospero, or figure out how to cut the play so as not to overload a student actor who is new to working with the text. In my experience, there are subplots in the Tempest (I'm thinking particularly about the stuff with Antonio and Alonso) that can bog a production down, and the tonal shift to pageantry at the end takes some finesse. I really like it, but It's a show that I tend to do with more advanced groups.

Best of Luck--You'll have a blast with any of these three!


------------------------------
Meg O'Connor
oconnormainstage.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-10-2017 15:58
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: Shakespearean Play Selection

My students are really excited to try performing a Shakespearean play this year.  It is my first time directing Shakespeare and I am SUPER intimidated by it.  I am also torn on which show to choose.  I have narrowed it down to three: Midsummer, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.  I feel like Midsummer is the safest choice--the kids are the most familiar with it and the audiences would be likely be more familiar with it than the other two.  Twelfth Night seems really suited to some of the actors that I will have in the class that will be performing the show.  And, I'm just gaga over The Tempest--it is one of my favorite Shakespearean plays and I think the kids would do well with it.  Any suggestions from some of your experiences with directing Shakespeare that might help me make my decision?

Thanks so much!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Columbia MO
------------------------------

Hi Sarah, 
I agree with everyone - go for it! I was intimidated the first time I directed Shakespeare as well, but if you are prepared your students will excel. As others have said, don't be afraid to dissect, edit, etc, as you see fit for your ensemble. 
In my experience Midsummer is your best bet for a first try. As previously stated, it has something for everyone, i.e., romance, magic, etc., it is more balanced in terms of leads and doesn't require one or two students to carry the show. We added quite a bit of stage combat in the quarreling scenes with the lovers. I could go on, but you get the idea. 
Whichever show you select, be bold and the students will follow your lead!
Best of luck! Break a leg!

------------------------------
Tina Tutt
Middle School Theatre Teacher'
Middle School Theatre Director
Battle Ground Academy
Franklin, TN
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-10-2017 15:58
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: Shakespearean Play Selection

My students are really excited to try performing a Shakespearean play this year.  It is my first time directing Shakespeare and I am SUPER intimidated by it.  I am also torn on which show to choose.  I have narrowed it down to three: Midsummer, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.  I feel like Midsummer is the safest choice--the kids are the most familiar with it and the audiences would be likely be more familiar with it than the other two.  Twelfth Night seems really suited to some of the actors that I will have in the class that will be performing the show.  And, I'm just gaga over The Tempest--it is one of my favorite Shakespearean plays and I think the kids would do well with it.  Any suggestions from some of your experiences with directing Shakespeare that might help me make my decision?

Thanks so much!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Columbia MO
------------------------------

I agree with the comments about "Midsummer," especially if this is a first go-around for you and the kids. The success of MND is based more on the simple, self-evident twists of plot, and the physical humor than it is on the language. It gives the kids a great chance to get their feet wet with "Shakespearese," and less likelihood that they will get too intimidated by long wordy passages. -- Of course, at some point you'll want them to be able to tackle those long wordy passages (and even Midsummer will throw up a few challenges), but they (and you) will be more confident knowing that you've cracked that code once before...!

Tim

------------------------------
Tim Mooney
www.timmooneyrep.com
www.moliere-in-english.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-10-2017 15:58
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: Shakespearean Play Selection

My students are really excited to try performing a Shakespearean play this year.  It is my first time directing Shakespeare and I am SUPER intimidated by it.  I am also torn on which show to choose.  I have narrowed it down to three: Midsummer, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.  I feel like Midsummer is the safest choice--the kids are the most familiar with it and the audiences would be likely be more familiar with it than the other two.  Twelfth Night seems really suited to some of the actors that I will have in the class that will be performing the show.  And, I'm just gaga over The Tempest--it is one of my favorite Shakespearean plays and I think the kids would do well with it.  Any suggestions from some of your experiences with directing Shakespeare that might help me make my decision?

Thanks so much!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Columbia MO
------------------------------

I feel like of those three choices, Midsummer is going to be the easiest to convey the plot to an audience unfamiliar with it.  I'm directing it this year too. Break legs!

------------------------------
Amy Strickland
Drama Teacher
AL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-10-2017 15:58
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: Shakespearean Play Selection

My students are really excited to try performing a Shakespearean play this year.  It is my first time directing Shakespeare and I am SUPER intimidated by it.  I am also torn on which show to choose.  I have narrowed it down to three: Midsummer, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.  I feel like Midsummer is the safest choice--the kids are the most familiar with it and the audiences would be likely be more familiar with it than the other two.  Twelfth Night seems really suited to some of the actors that I will have in the class that will be performing the show.  And, I'm just gaga over The Tempest--it is one of my favorite Shakespearean plays and I think the kids would do well with it.  Any suggestions from some of your experiences with directing Shakespeare that might help me make my decision?

Thanks so much!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Columbia MO
------------------------------

Original Message------

I feel like of those three choices, Midsummer is going to be the easiest to convey the plot to an audience unfamiliar with it.  I'm directing it this year too. Break legs!

------------------------------
Amy Strickland
Drama Teacher
AL
------------------------------

I was in a Barnes and Noble this summer and saw a whole collection of individual Shakespearean plays that had been written with original language alongside modern language.  I promised myself that the next time I taught Shakespeare or directed it,  I'd buy one of those.  Actually, I tried to talk our principal into buying many of them for teacher resources.  Check them out for prep.

------------------------------
Valerie Scott
Drama Teacher/Director
Perimeter School
Johns Creek, Ga
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-10-2017 15:58
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: Shakespearean Play Selection

My students are really excited to try performing a Shakespearean play this year.  It is my first time directing Shakespeare and I am SUPER intimidated by it.  I am also torn on which show to choose.  I have narrowed it down to three: Midsummer, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.  I feel like Midsummer is the safest choice--the kids are the most familiar with it and the audiences would be likely be more familiar with it than the other two.  Twelfth Night seems really suited to some of the actors that I will have in the class that will be performing the show.  And, I'm just gaga over The Tempest--it is one of my favorite Shakespearean plays and I think the kids would do well with it.  Any suggestions from some of your experiences with directing Shakespeare that might help me make my decision?

Thanks so much!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Columbia MO
------------------------------

I love producing Midsummer in high school!  You can have a whole band of fairies to let those newbies have a good entry to your program.  Key for this one is that the three sets of characters--Athenians, fairy kingdom, and rude mechanicals--need to be costumed differently, as the braided plot can be confusing for an audience unused to Shakespeare.  
 
I have had great success with The Tempest as well.  Since my strongest actors that year were female, I cast Prospero and his brother as females.  I had 10 or 11 spirits who made the storm, dog sounds, tree for the finery to hang on, etc.  It was great fun coming up with their vocabulary of movement through Viewpoints type exercises.  Yes, as someone mentioned, the lines are unevenly distributed, but I was able to trim Prospero's speeches without much effort.

I strongly advise you to do your own cutting.  I am no purist when it comes to Shakespeare.  If there are archaic words that my students don't know and that won't be clear in context, so matter how good the acting, I substitute something with the same number of syllables.  (If "leviathan" hasn't appeared in popular culture in a while, I change it to "enormous whale.")  

I hope you and your students have fun!

------------------------------
C. J. Breland
Asheville High School
Asheville NC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-10-2017 15:58
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: Shakespearean Play Selection

My students are really excited to try performing a Shakespearean play this year.  It is my first time directing Shakespeare and I am SUPER intimidated by it.  I am also torn on which show to choose.  I have narrowed it down to three: Midsummer, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.  I feel like Midsummer is the safest choice--the kids are the most familiar with it and the audiences would be likely be more familiar with it than the other two.  Twelfth Night seems really suited to some of the actors that I will have in the class that will be performing the show.  And, I'm just gaga over The Tempest--it is one of my favorite Shakespearean plays and I think the kids would do well with it.  Any suggestions from some of your experiences with directing Shakespeare that might help me make my decision?

Thanks so much!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Columbia MO
------------------------------