“Shakespeare would be horrified if he knew his plays were being taught by being read in class,” said Doug Erwin, theatre director of McCluer High School. “They were made to be performed.”
Because of an innovative program the Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis presents each year in association with its summer production in Forest Park, the Bard’s spirit can take pleasure in knowing that a curriculum exists that allows students to perform his work.
“They watch everything that they were seeing on the page really turn into something,” Erwin said. “They become completely lit up about that.”
During the last class period on the Friday before prom at McCluer High,
Erwin’s students seemed more concerned with putting the finishing touches on their ensembles for the Metro Youth Shakespeare 2008 production of Richard III than pulling together their outfits for what many consider to be the pinnacle of the high school experience.
There was no mention of the prom in theatre class. Even the side conversations being whispered as the scenes unfolded on stage were concerning the upcoming performance of Richard III.
“Everybody is pushing themselves and making sure that they are doing their part,” said Troy Jones, a sophomore at McCluer and one of the lead actors.
“We even had someone call off work all this week because of rehearsal – he is losing money to make sure that the show goes well. That’s dedication.”
Student director Omega Jones (no relation to Troy) was pushing his cast along, stopping the actors mid-scene to give direction and calling upon the cast to reach within themselves to do the show justice.
“Thank you for actually reacting to the duke’s death,” Omega Jones said to one of the actors after the rehearsal of a death scene. “Let’s do it again and stay focused.”
McCluer is one of 11 participating schools from a host of districts (ranging from St. Louis Public Schools to Cahokia) that will work as a team to present the play this weekend. Each will present selected scenes from Richard III and perform them in sequence to present the work in its entirety at Saint Louis University’s Xavier Hall.
“You hear about it, and all you can do is imagine,” said senior Ebony Easter. “But actually being a part of it brings a lot out. You learn more because you are put in that place.”
Metro Youth Shakespeare connects rival schools, crosses the socio-economic classifications of districts and even involves home-school students as they unite to learn more about theatre through the art form’s most famous playwright.
“In this program, it doesn’t matter if you are from the richest or the poorest district – everybody is on the same footing,” Erwin said. “It’s anything you happen to have at your school or in your closet and $100 for everybody.”
No matter what the operating budget of the district or school, student troupes must adhere to the $100 budget to conduct every element of their scene(s). Students gain insight on every aspect of the theatre business – from auditions, casting, acting, directing, lighting, blocking, scenic design and costume responsibilities, right down to the contract they must sign in order to be a part of the program.
“Using the budget helps them in math, acoustics and lighting – that’s science,” Erwin said. “It crosses curriculums, teaching them not only about theatre and history, but how what they are learning applies in everyday life.”
Troy Jones said that the need to read and dissect Shakespeare’s language to perform it properly has given him a newfound appreciation for attention to detail that he can apply in his studies.
“I am sure the audience is going to be amazed with lighting, costumes and everything,” Omega Jones said after seeing the schools come together for the first time this past weekend for dress rehearsal.
“The combination of the lighting, the set, the costumes and the tech will come together and the audience is going to say, ‘Wow I want to see it again the next day.’”
Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis’ Metro Youth Shakespeare program 2008 will culminate with three free public performances of Richard III at Xavier University, located on the campus of Saint Louis University. Performances will take place Friday, May 9 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 10 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. For more information, call (314) 531-9800.
Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis’ production of Richard III runs Friday, May 23 (Memorial Day weekend) through Sunday, June 15, 8:00 p.m. nightly (except Tuesdays). The Festival is located at the intersection of Fine Arts and Government Drives, just east of Art Hill. Visit www.sfstl.com for additional details.
