A Classroom for a Stage and
Students to Perform the Swelling
Scene!
By Shirley Anghel
Shakespeare in Performance is
a student acting troupe that presents
the plays according to originalist
practices of rhetoric and theater space.
The troupe is part of a minor of studies
directed by Renaissance scholar, Dr.
Travis Curtright. The capstone project of
the minor is a Shakespeare production,
which includes educational outreach to
high school audiences. Dr. Curtright,
director of the plays, professionally
trained at the American Shakespeare
Center in Staunton, Virginia. He regularly
teaches a course on Shakespeare for the
literature department as well.
Lead actor Zachary Harned (2012-14)
previously performed in the Naples
Players’ Sherlock Holmes production
and has been invited to act with
Shakespeare in Paradise, Inc.; he has
also acted in several short independent
films. When asked about his experience
with this troupe, Harned said, “Curtright
has the understanding of an artist and of
a professor. Having worked in a variety
of settings, I really appreciate and love
having this combination in a director.”
The productions feature actors’
training in voice, rhetoric, and prosody,
which includes analyzing Shakespeare’s
figures of speech, diction, and metrical
patterns. They also consider carefully the
addressee for each character's lines. Just
like with productions at Shakespeare's
Globe, the actors may "take lines to the
house" or directly speak to audience
members. See how a saucy Beatrice
speaks to an audience member for
an example:
To learn more about how the troupe
trains, visit "Our Approach."
When asked about her experience
with Shakespeare in Performance,
actress Rebekah Sauls said, “It’s brought
me out of myself so much … I feel free to
grow as an actress.” Sauls added that she
“loves how you are constantly challenged
because every night is a different
performance [which demands] a
constant reinvention of the character
and of yourself as an actress.”
Though the troupe remains true to
Shakespeare's language, it often "updates"
the music, selecting more modern songs to
accompany the action. Troupe members
select and perform songs both before the
show and at intermission, which they think
captures a theme of the play. In tribute to
a rough courtship between Benedick and
Beatrice, for example, the actors worked
out a version of "Shady Grove":
Finally, as part of the productions,
actors participate in an educational
outreach program by doing “talk backs”
with student audiences. They will not
only perform a play but also discuss it.
The troupe specially schedules
performances and talk backs for teachers
and their students. As reviewers show,
Shakespeare in Performance delights all
audiences! Visit "More Artistic Talent”
and "My Heels Up" and “More
