The Bard in 2019: Reading and Performing Shakespeare Today

What does William Shakespeare – who wrote plays for the English theatre four centuries ago – have to say about our world in 2019? How can his words and stories remain visceral and relevant? What can he tell us about identity, race, religion, gender and other current societal topics? How are these concepts and others portrayed through his plays? Has society really changed in the past 400 years? In this interactive and thought-provoking class we will analyze and give voice to some of Shakespeare’s writings in order to better understand the meaning behind them – and to apply ageless instruction to some of today’s most urgent issues. Be prepared to let your guard down and to try your hand at acting, debating, analyzing, and discussing philosophical questions. As Shakespeare writes in Hamlet, “…we know what we are but not what we may be”. Application process includes: online application, qualifying documents (test scores or portfolio), $40 application fee, 2 essays, transcript, 2 letters of recommendation. To be eligible for VSA, students may either submit ACT, SAT, or PSAT scores or a recent individual ability/achievement test at the 95th percentile and above in one or more subject areas. In lieu of the above mentioned test scores, students may prefer to submit a portfolio for further assessment and review. . Need-based scholarships are available with the completion of an additional scholarship application.