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This Wooden O

Bringing Shakespeare to Life in Schools

Thank you to TD Charitable Foundation and Kiwanis Club of Greenville Foundation for their support

As our flagship education program, This Wooden O brings expert teaching artists into classrooms to break open the mysteries of Shakespeare in a way that is fun and accessible to students of any age group. We offer a kinesthetic approach to encountering literature that gets students out of their desks and on their feet. Students participate in hands-on, customized activities—learning the actor’s approach to close-reading, analysis, and interpretation of texts.

Students also hone skills in group process, forge connections between disciplines, and practice creative inquiry, all while meeting the teacher’s curricular goals. We can tailor our workshops to incorporate any text or texts already being studied, or provide in-depth information about a key concept that students are trying to master.

Perhaps most importantly—it’s fun! Students learn by doing and applying higher-level thinking with low-pressure group and individual activities.

Is This Wooden O Right

For Your Class?

This Wooden O primarily works with middle to high school students in English and Theatre classes, but we’ve also worked with after school programs and in History classes. In addition, we offer “Intro to Shakespeare” workshops for students as young as third grade.

This Wooden O is designed to align with English Language Arts Standards and state Theatre Curricular Standards.

What to Expect //

No matter which grade we’re teaching, we tailor our program to the specific needs of the individual students. However, we do follow a standard outline when devising programming. A teacher can expect:

  • A content-based warm up that engages students in the central question
  • Active discussion that gauges and stretches student knowledge of the topic
  • Exploration of content and vocabulary utilizing theatre methodology
  • Reflection and assessment of specific learning objectives

We do embrace an experiential learning style, so students are encouraged to get up from their desks and engage with the material.

Bring This Wooden O to Your School //

It all starts with a conversation. Take a look at our brochure for more information and then contact Jay Briggs, our Director of Education, with any questions that you or your school’s administration has.

Want More Shakespeare for Your Students?

The Warehouse Theatre Educational Tour

In partnership with //

LINDA ARCHER  

Shakespeare was meant to be seen and heard, but often students’ only exposure to the Bard is in a classroom, reading his words and trying to decipher their meaning. Shakespeare seems like “Old English” and irrelevant to the 21st century teenagers, but his characters and themes have stood the test of time– and they have something to say! So why can’t Shakespeare be exciting?

The answer is: he can! At The Warehouse Theatre, we make Shakespeare hip with our 75 minute professional productions of his most loved classics. Our productions use original Shakespearean text, making it accessible and alive while not talking down to students. We treat them like the sophisticated and complex audiences they are, demanding the highest quality of theatre possible. Many times, students seeing these shows are seeing Shakespeare– or live theatre– for the very first time.

“It is such a joy to know that The Warehouse Theatre can reach high school students with Shakespeare. We heard students saying they were blown away and had never thought about Shakespeare in current day and time. One student proclaimed, “I paid attention the entire time! I get it! I love Shakespeare because of them!” The Q&A time provided my favorite question and it came from a young lady that asked the cast, ‘How did you make it seem so real?’ That is the mark of the true professionalism and quality you can rely on from The Warehouse Theatre.”

Seth ReimerSumter Opera House

2023 Touring Production: A Midsummer Night’s Dream //

Directed by Jay Briggs
Shakespeare’s popular comedy…revisited in an engaging fresh way.

Four rebellious teens. A band of mischievous magical creatures. And the worst community theatre troupe you’ve ever seen. In Shakespeare’s classic tale of love, jealousy, and hijinks, what happens in the woods, stays in the woods. This new production, at once both contemporary and timeless, features six actors playing multiple roles and utilizes The Warehouse Theatre’s highly theatrical approach to Shakespeare’s texts.

This production runs approximately 70 minutes with no intermission and is appropriate for middle and high school students.

Pre- and post-performance in-classroom workshops are available.  Our workshop format is highly experiential, getting students out of their desk and working with the material, while directly connecting to standards-based requirements and providing educators adaptable tools they can use long after we have left the classroom.  Workshops run 55-90 minutes, conducted by our teaching artists featured in the production. Talkback opportunities with the cast will be available at performance venues.

2023 Tour Dates

Note: Tickets are booked through the individual venues

October 17, 18, & 19
South Carolina Children’s Theatre in Greenville, SC

October 24
Dorman High School in Spartanburg, SC

October 25
Francis Marion University in Florence, SC

October 31
Lean Ensemble in Hilton Head, SC

November 2
River Bluff High School in Lexington, SC

TBD
Christ Church Episcopal School in Greenville, SC

Hillcrest Middle School in Simpsonville, SC

Have Questions About Our In-School Education Programs?

Don’t hesitate to reach out for more information.

CONTACT US