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Start with story. The language follows.

Students explore Shakespeare’s stories, characters, and language through movement, improvisation, and collaborative performance, making Shakespeare accessible, engaging, and meaningful for students of all reading and experience levels.

I offer three core programs for PreK–12 students. Each can stand alone or build into a scaffolded experience over multiple visits.

Shakespeare Minutes — PreK–Elementary | 20–60 minutes
Shakespeare Through Story & Play — Elementary–High School | Single session or multi-visit
Shakespeare Residency — Upper Elementary–High School | Short intensive to full semester

Designed to complement classroom instruction and align with Theatre and English Language Arts TEKS. Programs can be adapted to your students, curriculum, and classroom goals.

Not sure what your classroom needs? Tell me what play you’re studying, your students’ grade level, and what you’d like them to get from the experience. I’ll help you find the right fit.

Working with a specific budget? Programs can be adapted in scope and duration to meet your classroom goals and available funding.

WORKSHOP OVERVIEWS

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SHAKESPEARE MINUTES

PRE-K to ELEMENTARY | 20-60 MINS

Short, movement-based workshops that introduce students to Shakespeare through full-body storytelling. Students learn monologues or famous quotes by pairing every word with a specific movement, physically embodying meaning as they go.

This word-to-movement approach builds comprehension, vocabulary, and memory through a multisensory process, and is especially effective for emergent bilingual students and students who learn best through movement.

Great for: early literacy, oral language development, sequencing skills

Group size: Facilitated independently for 12–16 students; full classroom groups (up to 25–30) with teacher or staff support

TEKS alignment: Aligns with Theatre and English Language Arts TEKS, including Oral Language Development and Reading and Comprehension

Pricing:

$175–$250 per 45–60 minute session
Half-Day (2–3 sessions): $400–$550
Full-Day (4 sessions): $700–$900

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HOMESCHOOL PRODUCTION CLASS - Spring 2016 ImprovEd Shakespeare's HAMLET Rehearsals: January 14-April 21, 2015 at Austin Scottish Rite Theater – Basement Performances: April ************ No need to tout the benefits of theatre for kids. A quick google search brings up numerous accolades: "Top Five Reasons Kids Should Do Theatre" by Cathlyn Melvin, among others. Plenty of Shakespeare fans have also shared the benefits of a Shakespeare experience for young people: "Why Study Shakespeare" by Ross Farrelly makes an excellent point, "If children can understand Shakespeare they can understand anything." Ready to "understand anything?" Well, join the ImprovEd Shakespeare, then; where we provide an opportunity for adolescents to get Shakespeare off the page and into their bodies. The Class Calendar/Location Tuition The Fine Print Register About the Director THE CLASS ImprovEd Shakespeare has been working with the Austin homeschool community for four years. To date, all of our productions have been homeschool-only. Our focus is on Shakespeare stories and performance skills, rather than academic study. We follow a non-traditional production process in that we layer skills and technique on each individual child’s instincts and personality. We celebrate what a child brings to the character and aim to grow her or his skills organically, rather than to follow a prescribed academic study of character. Performing with a Company of Players requires great trust in your peers. Each rehearsal has strong attention given to team-building theatre games, as well as scene work and acting technique. The production classes premiere a signature ImprovEd Shakespeare script each Fall and Spring. The scripts are a mix of original Shakespeare text and modern narration. One judge quipped, “It’s ‘Our Gang’ meets Shakespeare!” Because of a truncated rehearsal process and targeted family audiences, performances run under an hour. In honor of a true Renaissance traveling troupe, emphasis is on costumes with few props, limited sets, lights and sound. In addition to acting in the piece, the Company of kids is responsible for running their own production. Enrollment is per semester: Fall and/or Spring. Participants who continue throughout the year are given first priority. menu CALENDAR/LOCATION Dates: January 14th-April 21st* Thursdays *Spring Break: March 17th (no rehearsals) Time: 1-3pm (plus occasional rehearsals until 4pm for specific roles) Location: Scottish Rite Temple Basement 207 W. 18th St Ages: 3rd-6th grade *Performance Dates* April 2nd OR 3rd Saturday OR Sunday Sherwood Forest Faire Time: All Day Friday, APRIL 22nd Baron's Men Spring Festival Curtain Theatre Time: TBD *Note: We are still seeking additional performance opportunities. menu TUITION Full semester (4 months): $275 Monthly payment plan: $100/month - due Jan 14, Feb 1, Mar 1 $25 discount for siblings (full); $10 discount for siblings (monthly). menu THE FINE PRINT Cancellation Policy: Cancellations received two weeks prior to the start of the class will be refunded amount paid less a $50 processing/registration fee. Cancellations received within two weeks of class start date cannot be refunded. If you have set up a payment plan, you are still under obligation to pay tuition in full. (Note: Why? Because we are under contract with our venue and losing out on a planned-for registrant can throw us into debt.) ImprovEd Shakespeare reserves the right to cancel the class for insufficient enrollment. If this happens, all tuition paid will be refunded in full. Photo Clause: All ImprovEd Shakespeare rehearsals and performances may be photographed or filmed. Your participation constitutes your authorization for ImprovEd Shakespeare to use your child's photograph, voice or other likeness with and/or without his or her initials, first name or pseudonym for purposes related to the mission of ImprovEd Shakespeare, including but not limited to marketing and promotion in both print and electronic forms, as well as the Internet and in ImprovEd Shakespeare videos. Missed/Cancelled Rehearsals: Because we are rehearsing for a performance, there will be no make-ups. Each rehearsal is vital. Plan to attend every class, barring any emergency situation. You will be notified no later than one hour before rehearsal start time if inclement weather causes a cancellation. ImprovEd Shakespeare is not responsible for any lost, damaged or stolen personal belongings. menu REGISTER You love it? You're incredibly interested? It's time to join? Please fill out the registration form and we will get back to you with an invoice. menu ABOUT the DIRECTOR ANDEE KINZY, Director In third grade, Andee Kinzy was given the opportunity to produce, direct and act in a play she penned called “The Bad Day.” That did it; the theatre bug was firmly entrenched. After doing a lot more shows, winning awards and trying out a bunch of theatrical styles, she earned a BA in Drama from the University of Texas and sashayed off to NYC. There, she trained at various studios (Meisner, Method, Voice (with Shane Ann Younts) and Improvisation) and performed in original plays and indie films. Then she branched out into directing her own short films and running a non-profit women’s film organization (CineWomen NY, absorbed into NY Women in Film and Television). Through it all, she continued to work collaboratively with her peers, until one day she realized that she was an adult and her ‘peers’ were kids. Never one to be swayed by expectations, she feels that every child’s experience with the arts is unique. She uses a mish-mash of methods culled from all her training and experience to help every kid shine as an individual. She founded and directs ImprovEd Shakespeare and Girl Improved. menu

SHAKESPEARE THROUGH STORY AND PLAY

ELEMENTARY to HIGH SCHOOL | 45-60 MINS

Using theatre games and improvisation, students explore the stories, characters, and key moments of whichever play they’re already studying in class. By getting on their feet, students investigate plot and character relationships directly, building comprehension and confidence alongside classroom learning. Single session or multi-visit.

Great for: bridging classroom reading with active, embodied understanding

Group size: Facilitated independently for 12–16 students; full classroom groups (up to 25–30) with teacher or staff support

TEKS alignment: Aligns with Theatre and English Language Arts TEKS

Pricing:

Single session: $175–$250 per 45–60 minute session
Multi-session/residency format: $1,500–$5,000 per package, based on scope and duration

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SHAKESPEARE RESIDENCY

UPPER ELEMENTARY to HIGH SCHOOL | SHORT INTENSIVE TO FULL SEMESTER

Students bring a play to life through rehearsal, improvisation, and ensemble work, building understanding by playing with the material rather than analyzing it from the outside. The residency culminates in a performance drawn from my library of original Shakespeare adaptations, blending modern narration with Shakespeare’s own verse so both performers and audience can follow the story in real time.

Great for: deep, sustained engagement and a culminating performance

Group size: 12–16 students for ensemble-based work; groups up to 25 possible with teacher or staff support

TEKS alignment: Aligns with Theatre and English Language Arts TEKS

Pricing: $1,500–$5,000 per residency package, based on scope, duration, cast size, and number of sessions

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About the Instructor

I didn’t grow up loving Shakespeare. I was taught that there was a right way to understand it—and if you didn’t, you felt like you were missing something.

When I began teaching Shakespeare to young people, I discovered something different. When students are given permission to move, play, experiment, and explore the story first, the language becomes less intimidating and begins to make sense. That discovery became the foundation of my teaching practice.

I’m a theatre artist, writer, director, and teaching artist with over 30 years of experience working with students ages 5–22. Through ImprovEd Shakespeare, I’ve directed more than 30 youth Shakespeare productions and developed workshops and residencies for students across a range of ages, reading levels, and learning styles.

I hold a BA in Drama from the University of Texas at Austin and professional acting training from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. My teaching work has included schools and community organizations in Austin and internationally, including Mission Graduates in San Francisco, Brent Youth Theatre in London, Bangalore School of Speech and Drama, and Shakespeare Company Berlin.