Spring is a time of blossoming and renewal; and in honour of this lovely season, we wanted to gather together a few of our favourite Spring-themed posts from over the years!
A good place to begin is with the picture-book garden of Shakespeare’s Flowers, a 1969 classic that explores the symbolism of various flora in his works. You could also think about Shakespeare’s upcoming springtime birthday (April 23rd), reading Diane Stanley and Vennema’s Bard of Avon aloud to your young actors.
You may also wish to gather your troupe together to think about the broader significance of this season. Encourage the children to claim this as a time of hope and “Spring cleaning”, setting aside old habits and making room for new ways of thinking about their theatrical work – and anything else that matters to them!
Or perhaps Spring represents a new beginning for you as a teacher and / or parent. As teachers, we tend to focus on challenging and supporting our students – but it is just as important to renew our own spirits. If you have been working with a particular range of materials for a long time, even the most exciting plays and characters can feel a bit over-done; it is easy to take such things for granted. Now might be just the right moment to reset your approach: think back to acting exercises you have not shared with the children for a long time, or maybe introduce a new piece of music or costuming into a familiar production.
Whatever your priority this season, we hope you find a few fun things to explore in this Spring bouquet!