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Written around the year 1600, Twelfth Night, or What You Will (as the breezy subtitle proclaims) is one of the most charming of Shakespeare’s romantic comedies. It is a work filled with merry-making, high spirits, and ― of course ― love!

Twelfth Night is as delightfully festive as the Season it celebrates: January 6, the “twelfth night of Christmas,” the Feast of the Epiphany . . . and a time for Fun! One of our most treasured memories is a performance that our Montessori children gave at the Old Dominion University’s Stables Theatre on that very night, January 6. As our audience arrived at the theatre, lovely snowflakes began to fall. The children were inspired and celebrated by all; and after the show, the children had their cast party backstage ― with frequent trips out the Stage Door to play in the glorious snow.

Now, how is that for “the Magic of Theatre’?

Watch this space for postings of monologues and scenes from the play, specially edited with young actors in mind.

One of our favorite books about Shakespeare is Marchette Chute’s 1949 classic, Shakespeare of London.

We found it years ago in a lovely second-hand bookshop, and Chute’s balancing of historical context and personal insight was instantly enchanting.

As Chute writes: “This book is an attempt to bring a very great man into the light of common day. It is an attempt to show William Shakespeare as his contemporaries saw him, rather than as the gigantic and legendary figure he has become since. He was once life-size, and this is an attempt at a life-size portrait.”

This a highly readable and hugely informative work — find it here on Amazon.

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In honor of Halloween – certainly one of the most theatrical times of year! – Shakespeare For Our Children offers a glimpse of the Bard’s most chilling play: Macbeth. (Or, as it is known among more superstitious theatre folk, “that Scottish play.”)

There is no doubt that this violent work of obsessive ambition, murder, and fate reads as very mature for our young friends; but there is still some scope for age-appropriate spooky play-acting. With this in mind, we have edited here a scene between Macbeth and the Three Witches who foretell his fate.

Bringing together dialogue from Scenes 1 and 3 in Act I, this scene provides roles for four children. The rhythm of the words is bewitching indeed – and is emphasized by the eerie drumbeat in the middle of the scene. (We have had children clap in time offstage to create the effect of a drum!) The intertwining of the Three Witches’ lines also offers a great opportunity for children to develop the collaborative spirit of performance.

Happy Halloween from SFOC!

For performers, audiences, and scholars across the centuries, Hamlet endures as one of Shakespeare’s most compelling plays. A tale of murder, madness, revenge, and corrupted family loyalties ― it is also, in certain ways, a ghost story.

Just in time for Halloween, we at Shakespeare For Our Children have included here an edited version of the early scene between Hamlet and his father’s ghost.

Here, Hamlet learns that his father has been murdered ― a revelation which sets the tragedy in motion.

This is a scene of high drama ― so when you stage this scene with the children, feel comfortable letting the words speak for themselves. For example, a plain black curtain as a backdrop sets the grim mood of the piece, as do block-color costumes for the children. (Perhaps black for Hamlet, grey or white for his father’s ghost.) Stay tuned for more Halloween-themed posts!

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For Shakespeare fans, there is no denying the benefits of living in a highly digitized-world. Library archives, filmed stage performances, scholarly works – not to mention this blog! – are all available online at the click of your mouse.

But sometimes, there’s nothing like the real thing. Case in point: the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC has begun a touring exhibition of Shakespeare’s First Folio. This revered text, published in 1623, was the first publication of 36 of Shakespeare’s plays – all of which were compiled by members of his theatrical company.

Visit the Folio at the University of Virginia this month, where it compliments their current exhibition ‘Shakespeare by the Book: Four Centuries of Printing, Editing and Publishing’. You can read about both  here or view a gallery of some of the beautiful items on show at the UVA Library gallery here.

With these words from Act 2, Scene 7 of As You Like It, the character of Jacques begins a soliloquy that reminds his audience of the parallels between human life and theatrical enterprise: “One man in his time plays many parts,” moving from birth to old age.

What we love about this speech – aside from its wisdom and humor! – is the fact that it captures several different characters. From the whining schoolboy (mentioned in our earlier post) to the swooning romantic, and more besides, there are indeed “many parts” for a young actor to play in a single monologue. Have a look at it here.

What’s even better is the fact that you can distribute the speech to several children who are perhaps too shy to tackle a soliloquy on their own. Have each child take a section and act out their character(s) within the monologue, assuming in turns the various roles Shakespeare cites. Also fun is to rehearse through improvisation: establish a scenario – a picnic at a park, or a birthday party – and have the children engage with each other in the attitude of their given part. (For more about improv, check out this resource.)

As every parent and educator knows, there are some books that just get to the heart of what you are trying to teach – whether it’s life lessons or school lessons! We at Shakespeare For Our Children have a library of works that have helped us immeasurably in our teaching, and every so often we will highlight one of our favorites.

This week, it’s Bard of Avon by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema (1992). It explores Shakespeare’s life and early inspirations with beautiful prose and illustrations – a worthy tribute to the Bard that will appeal to young children and early adolescents alike. Find it on Amazon.

Now, one of our favorite passages from the book: “No amount of education could have given [Shakespeare] his high intelligence, amazing memory, artistic sensitivity, imagination, and profound understanding of the human heart. Just to know him was to realize the genius he was. ‘He was not of an age,’ wrote his friend Ben Jonson, ‘But for all time.’” Happy reading!

Last week, we talked about the back-to-school blues ― but there’s no question that at any time of year, at any age, it can be difficult for students to find their place. Parents and teachers try so often to capture the sense of uncertainty and frustration that faces many children as they find their social groups. The term “peer pressure” has become a commonplace, of course; and like so many of Shakespeare’s words, so too has the phrase “to thine own self be true” (Hamlet Act 1, Scene 3).

In these early days of the school year, ask your students to think about this line. What does it mean to them? How can they stay “true” to themselves? You can address the topic in a couple of ways: first, in the context of a broader lesson about Hamlet, in which Polonius’ speech to his son is one of several you may discuss in-depth; or by printing out and distributing copies of the monologue itself and asking the children for their thoughts.

If you go for the second approach, have a look at this edited version of the speech. As ever, we haven’t changed a single word ― but we have abridged the monologue for ease of understanding amongst our younger friends.

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Leave it to Shakespeare to capture the back-to-school blues that hit so many of our young friends this time of year: “[…] The whining school-boy, with his satchel and shining morning face, creeping like snail unwillingly to school” (As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII).

Yes, there is some reluctance associated with the first day of school – but over the years at Shakespeare For Our Children, we have lightened the mood by starting the new term with an old friend: Charles and Mary Lamb’s Tales from Shakespeare. Written in 1807 by the brother and sister, and reprinted numerous times since, this beloved work offers what the Lambs call “a few hints and little foretastes of the great pleasure which awaits them” in Shakespeare’s works.

Check out this digitized version of the 1894 edition, volumes I – IV. For younger children, read a tale or two aloud and ask them to illustrate their favorite scene; for older students, prepare a few questions for discussion.