frequently
asked
questions
Why girls-only?
Studies have shown that, especially during the turbulent process
of growing up, girls can benefit from an all-female space. Our
students flop around, act like fools, act like witches, act like
kings, use their voices loudly and their bodies freely, all
without fear of being judged. Plus, Shakespeare's plays were
originally performed by all-male casts, so it only seems fair!
Why Shakespeare?
Because we love the plays! 400 years ago, Shakespeare
created a body of work that remains fun to act in and thrilling to
watch. Our students love the vivid characters, the beautiful
poetry, and the dramatic situations. They also get the
chance to play great roles like Hamlet or Othello, roles that are
normally barred to them because of gender. This teaches them to
think without boundaries and to be generous with their imaginations-
skills useful to actors and
necessary to human beings.
Seriously, isn't Shakespeare
too hard for kids?
Seriously, no. In fact, after a child learns that
Elizabethan verse makes perfect sense, she might have trouble
believing that ANYTHING is too hard for her. Due warning.
How do you teach the language?
The best way to understand Shakespeare is to perform it. That
said, we use a variety of methods, including physical rhythm games
to teach verse, in-class discussion, and extensive study CDs,
which offer notes and modern English line glosses. Students
listen as they follow along in their texts. We record
the CDs ourselves, along with lines-only CDs that help our
students memorize.
What else makes you special?
Many programs for kids focus only on performing skills. TVP
encourages kids to be directors, leaders and creators as well as
actors and students. TVP girls learn to respond to
Shakespeare, the lynch pin of the Western canon, and make his work
their own. Females have been shut out of the culture conversation
for centuries, so the artists and
leaders of the future need to know how to claim the past. We
like to think, in our own small way, we're helping to raise the
next generation of women who will change the world.
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