New this summer: Shakespeare in Action has partnered with Canadian Stage and Shakespeare in High Park. Our annual Shakespeare for Kids Summer camp will culminate in final performances on the High Park Community Stage.
Today was the first day in High Park! The campers got a chance to see the Shakespeare in High Park stage and check out the space we will be performing on. We rehearsed scenes in the space, picnicked for lunch, and the campers started creating a trailer for the show.
Joining us this week in the park is Gillian Murphy, the Youth and Outreach Coordinator at Canadian Stage. Today Gillian interviewed two actors at camp, Joel and Tanya, about the experience of being in the park, Shakespearen language, and their thoughts on their characters.
Gillian: So, this is your second week of camp! What were you up to last week?
Tanya: We got our characters last week, we played a lot of games, and went outside.
G: What’s different about being in the park versus the school?
Joel: Well the bathrooms are closer. It’s outside, and yeah that’s pretty much it.
G: Have you done Shakespeare in Action camp before?
J: No.
T: No, but I’ve been [to Shakespeare in High Park]. Last year I saw Hamlet and All’s Well That Ends Well
G: Did you know about Shakespeare before the camp?
J: Yah, my mom was really into it when I was like four, so then I grew into it. I went to a Shakespeare Camp at the library.
G: Cool! Have you acted in a Shakespeare play before?
J: No.
T: Ya. We did Romeo and Juliet at my school.
G: And, what are you playing in this show?
T: Sebastian, in the Tempest.
G: That’s awesome. What does Sebastian try to accomplish in the play?
T: To kill Alonso and Gonzalo because he wants to be king of Naples.
And what part do you play Joel?
J: The King of Naples, Alonso.
G: And what does Alonso want to accomplish in the play?
J: To find his lost son, Ferdinand.
G: So far, is Shakespeare different from any other acting you’ve done?
T: Yes, the words are different. It’s harder to understand because you don’t know what the words are.
G: How do you go about understanding them better?
T: We have a Shakespeare dictionary so we just search it up and find out what the word is. I think the Master’s first scene we searched up a word for her and that very sentence was in the dictionary.
G: What about you Joel, is the language the hardest part?
J: Not really. I sort of understand it. Compared to normal acting it’s really different.
G: Is it a fun different?
J: It’s a nice challenge.
G: If I was going to put this on the blog what would you want people to know about your first day in the park?
T: It is fun and very interesting. We finally saw the stage, we actually get fresh air, and our whole class doesn’t have to go to the washroom together.
J: It’s very nice.
T: They should come to the camp!
J: And every single show!
G: And pay lots of money?
J: Yah.
Come Catch our Groundlings (age 7 – 10) perform The Tempest on the High Park Community Stage on Friday July 14th at 2:30PM! If interested, RSVP to education@shakespeareinaction.org.
High Park Community Stage is located on the Shakespeare in High Park premises, beside the High Park Amphitheatre.