Reduced Shakespeare Company’s THE COMPLETE

WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED)

[REVISED]Tuesday, April 9, 2019

12:30 p.m.

Welcome Home!Join us for the 2018-19 Season as we explore the themes of home, belonging and finding connections to one another through the arts. As we journey through this season of educational programming, take a moment to discover what home means to you.

From lesson ideas and professional development workshops to backstage tours, allow us to partner with you to provide students with exciting educational opportunities!

For questions contact the education sales department (920) 730-3726 or educationsales@foxcitiespac.com.

Welcome | 3

Standards | 4

About | 5

Lesson Plans | 6

In the Spotlight | 13

What’s Next | 14

My Journal | 15

Student Showcase | 17

Resource Room | 18

A note from our education series partner – Bemis

“The series provides a rich learning experience to thousands of students each

year. We hope that it enriches the growth of our young people and our community

by broadening our perspectives and increasing our passion for the arts.”

-Tim Fliss, SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer, Bemis Company

Community Partners

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When entering the Fox Cities Performing Arts

Center, remember to show respect for others by

waiting your turn and speaking quietly.

Remember that during the performance the live

performers can see and hear you. Even the

smallest sounds can be heard throughout the

theater, so it is best to remain quiet so everyone

can enjoy the performance.

Applause is the best way to express how much

you enjoyed the performance!

Important things to remember:

• Student backpacks, gum, drinks and food

are not allowed in the theater.

• Cell phones should be turned off and

stowed.

• Note that recording or taking photos in the

theater is strictly prohibited; however, photos

may be taken in the lobby.

• It’s a long way down – please do not drop

items off balconies.

This study guide was created for you by the Education Team

as a part of The Boldt Company Beyond the Stage Education

program. To download copies of this study guide or to find

additional resources for this performance or view past study

guides please visit: foxcitiespac.com.

Questions about your show reservation? Contact our

education sales team at or call (920) 730-3726.

ENJOY THE SHOW!

Be prepared to arrive early – You should plan on arriving to the

Center 30 minutes before the show. Allow for travel time,

parking and trips to the restroom.

Security – All bags entering the building are subject to search

and prohibited items will not be allowed. Teachers and

chaperones are discouraged from bringing bags, however,

necessary backpacks, or bags may be searched and tagged

before being allowed in the theater. We ask that students

leave their backpacks at school for Bemis Company Education

Series performances, however if students do bring them, they

are subject to search and will need to be checked at the

registration table in the lobby upon entry.

Know your needs – To best serve the needs of you and your

students, please indicate in advance if you have individuals who

require special services or seating needs upon making your

reservation.

Seating – Seating is based on a number of factors including

when the reservation is made, size of group, students’ ages and

any special seating needs.

To assist you in your planning the Wisconsin Academic Standards that are most likely to connect with this

performance are listed below.

KEY THEMES

• Adaptations

• Comedy

• Language

• Shakespeare

WISCONSIN ACADEMIC STANDARDS

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

• INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS

• Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or

departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.

• Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work.

• CRAFT AND STRUCTURE

• Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative,

connotative and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on

meaning and tone.

LITERACY

• CRAFT AND STRUCTURE

• Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.

• Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claims.

• PRESENTATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS

• Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when

indicated or appropriate.

• VOCABULARY ACQUISITION AND USE

• Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on

reading, content, as well as choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

THEATER

• RESPOND: Students will critically interpret intent and meaning in order to evaluate artistic work.

• TP.R.7.m: Express preferences for effectiveness of theatrical performance choices (what works/what

does not work).

• CONNECT: Students will relate prior knowledge and personal experience with theater to cultural and

historical contexts.

• TP.Cn.12.m: Analyze historical and cultural relationships between theater and other disciplines.

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Since its pass-the-hat origins in 1981, the Reduced Shakespeare Company has created ten world-

renowned stage shows, two television specials, several failed TV pilots and numerous radio pieces, all of

which have bee performed, seen, and heard the world over. The company’s itinerary has included stops

off-Broadway, at the White House, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, London’s West End, Seattle

Repertory Theatre, American Repertory Theatre and Montreal’s famed Just For Laughs Festival, as well

as performances in Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Malta, Singapore and Bermuda,

plus countless civic and university venues throughout the USA, the UK and Europe. Every week, the

company produces a 20 minute podcast, titled RSC Podcast, providing an audio glimpse of life

backstage and on the road.

All 37 plays in 97 minutes! The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised] is an

irreverent, fast-paced romp through the Bard’s plays. Join these madcap men in tights as they weave

their wicked way through all of Shakespeare’s comedies, histories and tragedies in one wild and

memorable ride that leaves audiences breathless and helpless with laughter. In the spirit of

Shakespeare himself, this show contains some occasional bawdy language and mild innuendo. All

students are different, so this show has been rated PG-13: Pretty Good If You’re Thirteen. 5

SHAKESPEARE’S LANGUAGE

OBJECTIVES

• To develop students’ awareness of changes in grammar since Shakespeare’s day, and some key items of

Shakespearean vocabulary, so that students are better able to understand Shakespeare in his original texts.

• To introduce students to some famous quotations and a well-known Shakespearean speech from “Romeo and

Juliet”.

MATERIALS

• Elizabethan vs. Contemporary Language Worksheet (Pg. 7)

• Glossary of Shakespearean language

• Juliet’s speech and a modern equivalent (Pg. 8)

WARM UP

This warm up is intended to draw students’ attention to certain grammatical aspects of Shakespeare’s language

• Hand out the Elizabethan vs. Contemporary Language Worksheet. Have students work in pairs or small groups

and find the modern-day equivalents of the Shakespearean words.

ACTIVITY

• As a class, elicit what the students know about “Romeo and Juliet”.

• Make sure the students understand the context for the speech—Juliet has embarrassed herself by saying aloud

that she loves Romeo when they have only just met. She didn’t realize he was listening as she talked to herself

about him.

• Ask students to work together to try and write a modern-day version.

• There are no “right” answers here, as it could be translated in various ways.

• Ask students to work together to write a short Shakespearean-style dialogue. Have them imagine that they

were guests at the masquerade and are now stating their opinions about Juliet’s hasty profession of love.

Encourage them to use the vocabulary words they learned during the Warm Up.

CLOSING DISCUSSION

• Have the students share their written dialogue.

• Ask them if the language made it easier or more difficult to write in the form of Shakespeare. Do they have

more respect for Shakespeare now that they know how much thought goes into creating dialogue?

Source: www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/Shakespeare%27s_language_lesson_plan_0.pdf

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JULIET’S SPEECH Act 2 Scene 2

Shakespeare’s Original Version

Juliet: Thou know’st the mask of night is on my face,

Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek

For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night

Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny

What I have spoke: but farewell compliment!

Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say ‘Ay,’

And I will take thy word: yet if thou swear’st,

Thou mayst prove false; at lovers’ perjuries

Then say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,

If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully:

Or if thou think’st I am too quickly won,

I’ll frown and be perverse an say thee nay,

So thou wilt woo; but else, not for the world.

In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond.

A Modern Equivalent

Juliet: Because it’s dark, you can’t see my face.

Otherwise you’d see me blushing

About what you’ve heard me say tonight.

I would willingly stay polite and deny

What I have said. But forget about being polite,

Do you love me? I know you will say yes.

And I will believe you. But if you promise you love me,

You might actually be lying. They say God laughs

When lovers lie to each other. Oh gentle Romeo,

If you do love me, say it truly.

Or if you think it’s too quick and easy to get me to love you,

I’ll frown and play hard to get and say no to you

So you’ll try harder to win me. But otherwise, I wouldn’t act that way for anything.

To tell you the truth, handsome Montague, I’m too keen on you.

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A QUESTION OF STYLE

OBJECTIVES

Students will:

• Present informal scenes from “As You Like It”

• Develop multiple interpretations and visual and aural production choices.

• Justify interpretation and visual and aural artistic choices made for performance with support from the text

and theatrical tradition.

• Constructively evaluate their own and others’ collaborative efforts and artistic choices in informal presentations.

• Analyze and critique presentations by their peers, taking into account the context, and constructively discuss the

effect of their artistic choices.

MATERIALS

• “As You Like It” by Shakespeare

• Scene Study Rehearsal Guide Act 1 Scene 1 (Pg. 10)

• Scene Observation Form (Pg. 11)

• Computer/projector

WARM UP

• Lead a discussion of the play, focusing on the following questions/ideas:

• “As You Like It” has been referred to as the “happiest of Shakespeare’s comedies”, and yet it has a

set of mean-spirited brothers; Oliver wants his little brother Orlando pummeled and killed, and Duke

Senior is banished to the woods by his little brother Duke Frederick (who shows little empathy for his

daughter and niece). How do such wicked characters fit into a “happy comedy” and how do we as

theater practitioners handle them?

• Opposition in theater allows for conflict, have students discuss the opposites in the play, and where

they find them.

• Have the class discuss what they imagine the setting like, what does the Duke’s court look like? The

orchard?

• Engage students in a discussion about staging.

• What types of staging techniques could be used? Explain that there have been many different

approaches to staging the play through the last century. Some productions might honor the pastoral

tradition and emphasize the idealized setting of the beautiful Forest of Arden. Others might see the

play as Shakespeare’s playful commentary on the pastoral tradition.

• More traditional: www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0qzMQgCyjU

• More modern: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOFqjsFkUW0

• What other ways can you think of to stage this play? Let students know that Shakespeare can and

probably has been staged in every era and location you could think of.

• Movies that the students might know that have taken Shakespeare’s stories/text and put them in

contemporary contexts: “10 Things I Hate About You” (“Taming of the Shrew”), “She’s the Man”

(“Twelfth Night”) and “Lion King” (“Hamlet”).

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HOMEWORK (OPTIONAL TO PREP FOR ACTIVITY)

Have students “paraphrase” Orlando’s speech at the opening of Act 1 Scene 1. Students will translate

every word of Orlando’s speech into their own words. Encourage students to look up words they don’t

understand.

• Students should take care to make sure their re-written speech is as close to their own speech

patterns/vernacular as possible. Explain that they will be doing this with all their lines when

they eventually perform the scene.

• Make sure they understand that the performance will be staged and spoken in Shakespeare’s

text, but this exercise will provide them a deeper understanding of the text.

ACTIVITY

• Tell students they are going to stage the opening lines of “As You Like It”. Students will experiment with

various approaches to the text to determine the tone and style they think is appropriate for a

production of this play. Try to generate some questions students may want to consider as they read the

scene and explore the text, such as:

• Is it dark and disturbing, or light and frothy?

• Is it a folktale with a fairy tale ending, or is it a serious commentary on family

relationships, love, and social class?

• First read through Act 1 Scene 1 lines 19-69 together and clarify any questions students may have

about vocabulary and the content of the speech.

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• Divide class into groups and give them the Scene

Study Rehearsal Guide Act 1 Sc 1 worksheet to assist

them in preparing their informal presentations.

• They should determine together what style and tone

they think is most appropriate for the text and then

rehearse it several times. Before each scene is

presented the group should give a brief introduction,

which states the style and tone they applied to the

text with a brief explanation supporting their choice.

• Have students watching the scenes use the Scene

Observation worksheet. Remind them that the point of

observation for them as audience members is to

determine to what degree various styles of

presentation affect the meaning of the text.

CLOSING DISCUSSION

• Engage students in a discussion about the differences

in the various interpretations.

• What is the role actors have on the meaning of

a text?

• What is the role directors have on the meaning

of a text?

• What are some of the things you learned

about staging comedy?

Source: http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/lessons/grade-9-12/A_Question_of_Style#Overview

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Sources: www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/william-shakespeare/william-shakespeare-

biography/

William Shakespeare was a English poet, actor and playwright

born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564. Throughout his career he

wrote 38 plays, 2 narrative poems and 154 sonnets. Due to the

vast subject matters of his writings and the relatability to his

audiences, Shakespeare’s plays are still getting produced today

both within the theater as well as on screen.

Shakespeare had a modest childhood as the oldest of five

children. His father was a glove maker but became an important

figure in their town which lead to Shakespeare being able to

attend school.

When he was 18, he married Anne Hathaway and together they

had three children. Their son, Hamnet, died when he was 11

years old. It is believed that one of Shakespeare’s most famous

plays, “Hamlet”, was written in his son’s honor.

Shakespeare lived away from his family for much of

his life because he was based in London (a two-three

day commute from Stratford). He was part of the

theater troupe The Lord Chamberlain’s Men and they

are who premiered many of his shows.

In 1616, Shakespeare died at the age of 52. He was

buried in Startford-upon-Avon with a poem written

on his grave cursing anyone who moved his bones.

Because of this, he is still buried there today.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Below you can find some of Shakespeare’s most famous works by category:

COMEDIES HISTORIES TRAGEDIES

“As You Like It” “Henry IV, Part I & II” “Hamlet”

“Midsummer Night’s Dream” “Henry V” “Julius Caesar”

“Much Ado About Nothing” “Macbeth”

Don’t let this experience end with the drop of the curtain. Keep the conversation going with your students and reflect on the performance that you just attended. Here are a few

questions to get the conversation started!

• What did you learn about Shakespeare and his plays from this performance?

•What was your favorite part of the performance?

•Which moment do you remember most from the performance? What was happening?

•How did these performers take Shakespeare’s complex language and turn it into something everyone could understand?

•How did the comedy add to the mood or help tell the story?

•If you were going to tell a friend about the performance, how would you describe it in one sentence?

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Make a list of the plays you know Shakespeare wrote. Do you know into which category these

shows belong? What do these shows have in common? Have you read or seen them? Why do you

believe Shakespeare’s texts are still being performed today?.

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After the show, reflect on what you saw. Did you like it? Why or why not? Have you ever seen something

like this before? If yes, what were some differences? Would you see a show like this again?

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What was a light bulb moment that your students had?

What was something new they learned? Was it anyone’s

first time to the Center? We would love for you to share!

After your class attends the show we would appreciate

photos, letters, posters, cards, etc.—be creative! This is to

help us share with our partners what your students are

learning.

The Center’s education programs are not possible without the

support of our Annual Partners and grant funders. They

enjoy learning about the schools and students that

participate in the education programs so we would

appreciate your help in telling the story.

Items may be sent via email to agosz@foxcitiespac.com or

mailed/dropped off at:

Fox Cities Performing Arts Center

Attn: Amy Gosz

400 W. College Ave.

Appleton, WI 54911

Please note items will not be returned and will be shared

with our partners and/or displayed at the Center.

Thank you for your help in sharing the great work you are

doing in the classroom with our partners!

Fox Cities Performing Arts CenterEducation Department

400 W. College Avenue • Appleton, WI 54911education@foxcitiespac.com • (920) 730-3726

BOOKS

“The Complete Works of William Shakespeare” by William Shakespeare

“The Taming of the Drew” by Stephanie Kate Strohm

“Manga Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing” by Richard Appignanesi and Emma Vieceli

“Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead” by Tom Stoppard

WEBSITES

Reduced Shakespeare Company

www.reducedshakespeare.com

Shakespeare’s Globe

www.shakespearesglobe.com

Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

www.shakespeare.org.uk

The Kennedy Center Arts Edge-arts integration lessons

http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org

This educator resource guide is created as part of The Boldt Company Beyond the Stage Education Program.

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