What are some cool ways to help high school students perform Shakespeare well?

Question

I am a drama coach at a high school that I just graduated from.. I'm going to be helping the actors with the play Romeo and Juliet.. I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas on how I can be best prepared.. and what are some innovative ways of helping them..?

Most of these kids love Shakespeare and are pretty talented.

Answer 1

Don't change a WORD of the text; that's first and foremost. I'm appalled by all of these suggestions that you look for a "modernized" version of the play. For heaven's sake, people have been understanding these things for over 400 years. Here's a news flash: theyr'e written in ENGLISH, folks.

If you want to put it in a different historical context, that's fine. You might want to ask your students if the story of the play reminds them of any other situation (in another time and place) of which they're aware.

The key to your production is CLARITY. The fundamental principal that applies with Shakespeare in performance is this: if the ACTORS understand exactly what they're saying, then the AUDIENCE will, too.

My recommendation? Spend as much time as necessary on pre-rehearsal "table work" (the period of time where you sit with the actors and work through the text). Read the entire play, line by line. Don't have actors read assigned roles; just go around the table, with each actor reading whichever line/speech comes next. And don't go forward until EVERYONE at the table understands the meaning of each line. It's a painstaking process, but, without it, you run the risk of actors who'll be up onstage going blah blah blah...which is the death of any Shakespearean production.

Remember: if THEY "get it," then the audience will get it, too.

Answer 2

There's not really much you can do - high school kids just aren't that interested in Shakespeare. You could try doing a modern version, like the excellent Baz Luhrmann adapation, which will probably help a bit. But it's still going to be a chore for them.

Just saw your edit. Okay, I'm surprised by that, but if true that's really cool. With that in mind it's just an issue of conveying the meaning of the scenes, which is often obfuscated by the archaic English. Get them to relate the scenes to things that have happened in their own lives. Hopefully none of them will have experienced exile and lopsided death pacts :) - but they'll have experienced things that generate similar emotions of loss, longing etc.

Answer 3

Recently the Shakespearean plays have begun to be published in books that offer "split text". On the left, the play is the way it was written...in Shakespearean old english...and on the right is the same text, but translated into slightly more "modern" english. Now, I'm just a student, but I'd suggest having the actors read the play in modern english...it will help them get the gist of the play, as well as what some of their harder lines mean. I dunno...just a suggestion...Good luck though!

Answer 4

In my opinion, giving them some accent coaching will get them more interested in the play. Learning how to say the lines in not only another "form of English," but another accent would be really cool. I'm a senior in H.S. myself, so I'm not just spouting words, I wish my Drama teacher was good at that. And if the guys don't get into it, tell them that girls dig a guy with a cute accent, lol. ;)

Hope the production goes well, good luck! :)

Answer 5

Help them undersatnd the meaning of some of the scences since its old english...put them into groups and then have them act out the scene in their own words..it worked for me, because I always had to understand what a lot of things mean before I say them. Hope that helps.

Answer 6

I was a sub for sixth graders learning Shakespeare. I had them all take a part and read and act out loud. They loved it!

Answer 7

have them recite portions of a scene in the hip hop or rap style

Answer 8

nekkid Shakespear... that'll peak their interest