We are a professional educational program that brings the brilliance and fun of William Shakespeare’s works to students of all ages.
Much Ado combines specialty workshops in varied performance skills with a fun rehearsal process that culminates in a grand performance for family and friends.
|
Experience the joy of Performing Shakespeare!
Come play and learn
in The Bard’s world of ingenious silliness
and breathtaking eloquence.
Join us on our playful and exciting journey to performing Shakespeare.
We will challenge ourselves in all the arts of Shakespearean performance, explore and rehearse a Shakespearean masterpiece, and finally celebrate our journey in a fantastic performance!
|
The Rehearsals
“The play’s the thing”
Using all our new skills, we dive into the play! We’ll bring our characters to life; exploring the world of the play and discovering the relationships that make up the lives of every character. Each class group will focus on a particular Shakespearean play in the
original Shakespearean English, edited to create a script of reasonable length for our students.
Our recent productions have included:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream * MacBeth
Twelfth Night * As You Like It * The Tempest
Taming of the Shrew * Much Ado About Nothing
Love’s Labour’s Lost * Hamlet * Comedy of Errors
Romeo and Juliet * The Winter’s Tale
Merry Wives of Windsor * Henry IV Part 1
|
The Specialty Workshops
“A course of learning and ingenious studies.”
The program begins with specialty workshops that introduce and develop skills to be used in the rehearsal process and final production. Depending on the needs of the production, we’ll challenge ourselves in many of the following disciplines:
Elizabethan Dance and Movement
Elizabethan Song * Acting * Improvisation
Speech/Voice * Text Analysis * Stage Combat
Physical Comedy and Clowning
Historical Exploration of Elizabethan Life
Creative Characterization * Juggling
Stage Make-up * Prop-Making
|
The Great Rewards
“O, what learning is!”
The academic and personal benefits for the students can be profound. Familiarity with the works of the greatest English playwright brings newfound appreciation of the English language and literary knowledge that will serve the students throughout their educational careers.
The experiences and challenges of the Much Ado program also spark personal growth in such areas as: self-esteem, confidence in front of groups,
creative self-expression, vocal presence, leadership qualities, respect for others, and teamwork.
It is an exciting process to behold.
|
Our Philosophy
“What harmony is this? My good friends, hark!”
Much Ado’s mission is to create in each class a student ensemble that explores the world of the theatre and the works of William Shakespeare in a fun and non-competitive environment.
|
Although our programs involve performance, our emphasis is on the students’ classroom experience of learning and discovery as they encounter the world of classical theatre. Our classes favor physical movement and active learning
over traditional lectures.
We feel that classes and rehearsals should be fun and engaging for all types of learners and therefore, do everything possible to meet the individual needs
of each student.
|
Malibu Shakespeare Day 2009
|
"Romeo and Juliet" Santa Clarita 2009
|
West Valley Program 2009
|
Ventura Improv 2009
|
Ventura Program 2009
|
Conejo Valley Performances 2009
|
