IMPROVeD SHAKESPEARE ROLES FOR EVERYONE

A difficult thing about playing with Shakespeare is that the bulk of the stories rests on the shoulders of just a few key players.

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Overcoming this challenge works well if you have a mixed troupe of Kids. And, each child craves different stage time. For example, there are those who want to perform a lot of lines. At the same time, however, others who prefer to recite only the bare minimum. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work so well if you have a troupe full of Kids, all wanting to play the key parts. Successfully, ImprovEd Shakespeare devised Roles for Everyone.

Hamlet, as performed by ImprovEd Shakespeare, is one solution. To share these principal roles, we deviated from a classic improvisation or theatre game. And, in this case, the resolution to the prescribed roles and stage time dilemma is Puppet Master.

With this diversion, we devised that the Player King, as well as Player Queen, become Puppet Masters for Ophelio* including Hamlet. The Kids ‘played’ the scene, spoke the lines, also moved the ‘puppets’ where Hamlet switches his attitude and begins to shun Ophelio. Thus, more of our players were able to practice their Shakespeare-speak. But moreover, an increased number of Kids, then the usual, were able to share the limited number of roles!

Learning, Games, Fun

And, although we didn’t have the awesome hair and makeup design from our make-up artist, Tina Jackson, for the stage performance, we were psyched to add those effects to our film version.

*This is not a typo. We changed the genders in our adaptation. Hamlet was female, and Ophelio was male.

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Performances

Each fall and spring, ImprovEd Shakespeare develops a new production for live performance. In honor of the traditional Renaissance traveling troupe, during a period of a few weeks, we present Kid-friendly plays at various venues around town. Our Players, between 3rd-11th grade, gear themselves with playful, as well as engaging interpretations of works by the Bard of Avon. Suitable for all ages, each performance runs for about an hour.

Furthermore, these shows are always FREE. However, we gladly accept Donations! Additionally, visit ImprovEd Shakespeare, Shakespeare for Kids by Kids on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter. And don’t forget to click on our BLOG for the stories behind these videos.