If you've ever been curious about everything that goes into an authentic production of a Shakespeare play, our new series, Experiencing Shakespeare: From Page to Stage, gives you the rare chance to peek behind the curtains.
Professor Alissa Branch, award-winning actor, director, and creator of an advanced Shakespeare performance curriculum, shows us in 12 riveting lessons how today's actors go about exploring, rehearsing, and performing his plays. With help from two professional stage actors, Brooke and Kam, you will be guided on an exploration of specific tools modern actors use in rehearsal to unlock Shakespeare's verse and bring his plays to life onstage. The language he wrote for his characters can be intimidating, and today's actors are responsible for figuring out how to honor its complexity.
Along with the insider’s look into how actors and directors dive into the texts, you will also receive an intimate, behind-the-scenes peek at the rehearsal process and the designing and directing of the plays. From decisions made during practice to the myriad of jobs needed to support the actors, there are a staggering number of responsibilities.
You will get an unprecedented inside glimpse into the playwright’s background, theater culture in the Elizabethan era, and the acting toolbox Shakespeare embedded in his plays—all of which will come together to bring you a richer appreciation of the genius behind his words.
