Online Program
Adventures Online: The Theatrical Worlds of William Shakespeare
Program No. 31229RJ
Adventures Online: The Theatrical Worlds of William Shakespeare
Adventures Online: The Theatrical Worlds of William Shakespeare
Itinerary
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From the comfort of your own home.
Adventures Online: The Theatrical Worlds of William Shakespeare
Aug 23 - Aug 25, 2027
Program Number
31229
Day
1
The Birth of Modern Show Business
Location:
From the comfort of your own home.
Session 1
Orientation and Introductions
As we meet our staff, we will have a brief overview on how to use Zoom, the program’s topic, guidelines, and the daily schedule.
Christopher Marlowe: Poet & Spy
(Lecture)
When men were prepared to murder and be martyred for their religious faith and the Elizabethan security services were zealously gathering intelligence against a militant enemy, a Golden Age of Theatre emerged in England. Assassinated at the age of 29, Christopher Marlowe was very much a man of his times
Break
Break
Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.
Session 2
Shakespeare: The Birth of Modern Show Business
(Lecture)
Poet, playwright and theatre impresario William Shakespeare became one of the wealthiest theatre entrepreneurs of the Elizabethan age. A shrewd businessman, his career coincided with the emergence of the English playhouses and the beginnings of theatre as a commercially viable form of popular entertainment.
Break
Break
Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.
Session 3
Shakespeare’s Language: Bringing Words to Life
(Lecture)
We will take a detailed look at Shakespeare’s writing style and how he guided the actors' performance through the words he placed on the page. What makes Shakespeare's language work so powerfully on stage?
We'll also examine rhythm, imagery, punctuation, pauses, and the ways in which Shakespeare's words provide clues to an actor's performance. Using short extracts from Macbeth, we will explore how a change of emphasis, pace, or pause can transform the meaning of a speech.
Q&A
We will have time for questions with program staff.
Wrap-up
Daily Wrap-up
We will end with a review of the topics we have discussed today and a preview of what’s ahead for tomorrow.
End of Day
Today's session will end.
Day
2
Shakespeare Scene Studies & Medieval Theatre
Location:
From the comfort of your own home.
Session 1
Welcome
Greet everyone and review the day's schedule.
Shakespeare and His Contemporaries
(Lecture)
We continue to examine the life and times of William Shakespeare as he begins to dominate the Elizabethan theatre world. We will also delve into the changing theatrical world after the death of Queen Elizabeth I and how Shakespeare had to adapt to a new monarch and patron, King James I.
Break
Break
Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.
Session 2
Q&A
We will have time for questions with program staff.
Scene Studies 1
(Performance)
Using short extracts from contrasting Shakespeare productions, we will consider how different actors and directors interpret the same words, with reference to A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night.
Break
Break
Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.
Session 3
Medieval Theatre: When Drama Served God
(Lecture)
Out of the so-called Dark Ages emerged a new form of drama designed to save men’s souls. Against the backdrop of the Black Death, the medieval Church and the age of chivalry, Giles examines the purpose of theatre a thousand years ago and its formative influence on William Shakespeare.
Q&A
We will have time for questions with program staff.
Wrap-up
Daily Wrap-up
We will end with a review of the topics we have discussed today and a preview of what’s ahead for tomorrow.
End of Day
Today's session will end.
Day
3
Shakespeare from the 17th to 20th Centuries
Location:
From the comfort of your own home.
Session 1
Welcome
Greet everyone and review the day's schedule.
Shakespeare Through History 1: Not for an Age but for All Time
(Lecture)
We will examine the great performances of Shakespeare throughout the 17th and 18th centuries with particular reference to the life and works of David Garrick. Following the trauma of the English Civil War came the Restoration, a period of loucheness and scandal. With the return of a King and the arrival of the first English actresses, the foundations were set for a more modern theatre to emerge in the 18th century under the influence of the greatest actor/ manager of the age, David Garrick, the man who put Shakespeare on the map.
Break
Break
Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.
Session 2
Shakespeare Through History 2: Our Contemporary?
(Lecture)
We will explore great Shakespearean performances of the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on the lives and careers of Henry Irving and Ellen Terry, as well as how celebrated actors from Laurence Olivier to Judi Dench have interpreted Shakespeare’s works.
Break
Break
Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.
Session 3
Scene Studies 2
(Performance)
Using short extracts from contrasting Shakespeare productions, we will consider how different actors and directors interpret the same words, with reference to Hamlet and The Tempest.
Q&A
We will have time for questions with program staff.
Wrap-up
Program Wrap-up
We will recap what we’ve learned over the past few days and say farewell. This concludes our program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to like our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
Program Conclusion
This concludes our program.