Bards University

Bards University is an afternoon series of theatrical workshops on Saturday, April 5th. Attendees can select specific workshops to attend, or join us for all three!

Workshops are as follows:
12:30-1:30pm – Unlocking Shakespeare with Ryan Walter
2:00-3:00pm – Stage Manage With Me(lody)! with Melody Wong
3:30-4:30pm – Getting Off-Book with CJ Higgins

-Unlocking Shakespeare-

In this workshop we will be delving into the depths of the most human playwright to ever live. We will learn the applicable skills that are needed to decode and uncover the true meaning and drive behind Shakespeare’s poetry, while also honoring the beauty and power that his language evokes. This language was never meant to be lofty and above us all, quite the opposite in fact as it was always meant to be a public spectacle, and with the right training anyone can make the Bard’s language their own. So let us work together to demystify Shakespeare and bring the humanity behind his scripts to life!

-Stage Manage with Me(lody)!-

In this workshop Melody will provide the basic understanding of the role of stage management and knowledge in the practical skills to manage all aspects of theatrical production, including coordinating rehearsals, overseeing technical elements (lights, sound, props), being the liaison between the creative teams, ensuring a smooth and safe execution of the performance, & fostering a safe and creative room in the rehearsals and production process.

-Getting Off-Book: A Workshop on Text Memorization-

Do you struggle to get off-book? Do you want to learn and identify different memorization techniques and find the right one for your brain? Then this is the workshop for you! Philadelphia theatre artist CJ Higgins (they/he pronouns) will teach you the skills of learning new text, exploring various memorization techniques and how they can be applied to script work. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a set of tools that can be used to get off-book for any text!