Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop

Shakespeare in Action is going on tour!

This spring, Shakespeare in Action is excited to hit the road and travel across Ontario, performing two exciting shows for students of all ages! To have one of these fantastic shows come to your school, please visit our website, call us at (416) 703-4881, or e-mail info@shakespeareinaction.org!

 

Suddenly Shakespeare– April 4-15, 2016

This hour long performance brings four of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays –Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Macbeth and Twelfth Night – to life for children ages five to seventy-five. Featuring music, dance, and physical comedy, the performance is the perfect introduction to Shakespeare for young audiences.

Dates: April 4-15, 2016
Duration: 60 minutes.
Price: $675 + HST (BOOK 2 SHOWS AND SAVE!)
Location: Your classroom, school theatre or gymnasium.
Maximum 250 students per session. Ideal for Grades 1-8!

For more information on Suddenly Shakespeare, visit our website!

 

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop– April 18- May 6, 2016

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop is a vibrant, interactive presentation that demonstrates how modern hip-hop shares many similarities with the themeslanguage and rhythm used by Shakespeare. Both are full of poetry, word play and lyricism, and both deal with what it is to be human.

Dates: April 18- May 6, 2016
Duration: 75 minutes.
Price: $675 + HST (BOOK 2 SHOWS AND SAVE!)
Location: Your classroom, school theatre or gymnasium.
Maximum 250 students per session. Ideal for grades 6-12

For more information on Suddenly Shakespeare, visit our website!

BOW DOWN! Rookie of the Year coming through!

Just kidding! Well, not about the Rookie of the Year thing.

Today when I came into the office, there was a trophy waiting for me lovingly labeled “Rookie of the Year,” which was bestowed upon me for being the first intern to book a workshop! My parents are so proud! I could be gracious and say that this has been the glowing triumph of my time at Shakespeare in Action, yet I cannot.

IMG_0551

In the short time I have been an intern for Shakespeare in Action I have enjoyed meeting the creative people who flow through the office the most! Starting with the people who run the show: Kyle and Jenny are the nicest supervisors who are always ready to dish out advice or joke around. As well, the Artistic Director Michael, whom I met today, was so warm and welcoming to this lowly intern that I wanted to be his best friend. Immediately.

Not only are the administrators wonderful, but the artists involved in the organization are equally as amazing! Christopher, Celia, and Marcel who are running the Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop interactive tour came through the office this morning and took time to say hi to the new face in the office (me) before getting straight to work on their rehearsal. (It’s also Marcel’s birthday so Kyle is out getting him a cake, but it’s a surprise so don’t tell!)

It’s obvious that everyone who comes through the office not only cares about this organization, but also one another and the power of art education, which, if I’m honest, better than a trophy.

Great News! Extended Early Bard Savings for the 2015/16 Season!

As an extra special Halloween treat, Shakespeare in Action will be extending the Early Bard discount on bookings of our upcoming tours Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop and Suddenly Shakespeare!

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop- November 23- December 4, 2015 and April 18- May 6, 2016

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop is a vibrant, interactive presentation that demonstrates how modern hip-hop shares many similarities with the themeslanguage and rhythm used by Shakespeare. Both are full of poetry, word play and lyricism, and both deal with what it is to be human.

The presentation features three professional actors, thumb-nail sketches of Shakespeare’s life and times, and key scenes & speeches from Shakespeare’s most popularly studied plays – including MacbethRomeo & Juliet and Hamlet.

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop brings alive the parallels between the world of the plays and their own contemporary experience. It’s the perfect complement to your in-class teaching of a specific play, in the beginning, in the middle or at the end.

Suddenly Shakespeare- April 4-15, 2016

This Spring, Shakespeare in Action brings Kim Selody’s sparking production of Suddenly Shakespeare to your school.

This hour long performance brings four of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays –Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Macbeth and Twelfth Night – to life for children ages five to seventy-five. Featuring music, dance and physical comedy, the performance is the perfect introduction to Shakespeare for young audiences.

Shakespeare in Action’s Artistic Director, Michael Kelly, describes the show as “a feast of magic, laughter, music and spectacle.” He says, “Suddenly Shakespeare will knock your kids’ socks off! Shakespeare’s stories are so magical, and the show allows kids, no matter what their age, to really participate with the material in a fun and engaging way.”

*Book either of these shows before October 31, 2015, and SAVE $50!

For more information, or to book, please call (416) 703-4881, or e-mail info@shakespeareinaction.org!

The Early Bard Gets the Discount- Book Now!

The 2015/16 season has just begun, and we cannot wait to bring Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop and Suddenly Shakespeare directly to your school! As a special bonus, we are offering an Early Bard discount if you book before October 16, 2015!*

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop- November 23- December 4, 2015 and April 18- May 6, 2016

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop is a vibrant, interactive presentation that demonstrates how modern hip-hop shares many similarities with the themeslanguage and rhythm used by Shakespeare. Both are full of poetry, word play and lyricism, and both deal with what it is to be human.

The presentation features three professional actors, thumb-nail sketches of Shakespeare’s life and times, and key scenes & speeches from Shakespeare’s most popularly studied plays – including MacbethRomeo & Juliet and Hamlet.

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop brings alive the parallels between the world of the plays and their own contemporary experience. It’s the perfect complement to your in-class teaching of a specific play, in the beginning, in the middle or at the end.

Suddenly Shakespeare- April 4-15, 2016

This Spring, Shakespeare in Action brings Kim Selody’s sparking production of Suddenly Shakespeare to your school.

This hour long performance brings four of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays –Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Macbeth and Twelfth Night – to life for children ages five to seventy-five. Featuring music, dance and physical comedy, the performance is the perfect introduction to Shakespeare for young audiences.

Shakespeare in Action’s Artistic Director, Michael Kelly, describes the show as “a feast of magic, laughter, music and spectacle.” He says, “Suddenly Shakespeare will knock your kids’ socks off! Shakespeare’s stories are so magical, and the show allows kids, no matter what their age, to really participate with the material in a fun and engaging way.”

*Book either of these shows before October 16, 2015, and SAVE $50!

For more information, or to book, please call (416) 703-4881, or e-mail info@shakespeareinaction.org!

Let the 2015/16 Season Begin!

Shakespeare in Action is back in action after a restful summer break, and we are ready to bring you another great season for the 2015/16 school year! Whether you are looking to bring The Bard to your classroom, or your entire school, Shakespeare in Action has a program to meet your needs. Take a look below to read about all of the great things we have in store for the next year!

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop– School Tour, Nov 23- Dec 4, 2015 and April 18- May 6, 2016

shakespeare-meets-hip-hop-tour

Returning for the 2015/16 season by popular demand, Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop is avibrant, interactive presentation that demonstrates how modern hip-hop shares many similarities with the themes, language and rhythm used by Shakespeare. Both are full of poetry, word play and lyricism, and both deal with what it is to be human.

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop brings alive the parallels between the world of the plays and their own contemporary experience. It’s the perfect complement to your in-class teaching of a specific play, in the beginning, in the middle or at the end.

Visit our website for more information, or to book your school today!

Masterclass Workshops– Available from September- July! 

In the Classroom: - Workshops & Residencies - September - July Photo: SIA

  • 75-minute exploration of any Shakespeare play.
  • An opportunity to work with an experienced actor-educator who visits your school.
  • A chance for students to be on their feet, exploring the text through voice and movement exercises.
  • For Kindergarten – Grade 12, up to 30 students per workshop.
  • Programs available for ELL, ESL/EDL students.

For more information, or to book a workshop, please visit our website!

Suddenly Shakespeare– Tour, April 4-15, 2016

suddenly-shakespeare-banner

Shakespeare in Action brings Kim Selody’s sparking production of Suddenly Shakespeare to your school in the Spring of 2016!

This hour long performance brings four of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays –Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Macbeth and Twelfth Night – to life for children ages five to seventy-five. Featuring music, dance and physical comedy, the performance is the perfect introduction to Shakespeare for young audiences. Make this a must see culture event for your students in the spring of 2016!

Visit our website to find out how to reserve your spot today!

School Residencies– Available from September- June!

shakespeare-in-action-residency-program

  • An in-depth study of a Shakespeare play over several weeks.
  • An opportunity to work with a professional actor-educator who visits your school.
  • An interactive and dynamic approach to Shakespeare that gets students on their feet and exploring the story.
  • For Kindergarten – Grade 12, up to 30 students per Residency.

Fore more information, or to book a residency, please visit our Residencies page!

TD Shakespeare for Kids Library Club– Fall, Winter, and Spring Sessions

td-shakespeare-for-kids-library-club-1

  • free readers’ theatre program for kids ages 7-12
  • Magic, witches, ghosts, silly mix-ups, and swordplay in some of the greatest stories ever told!
  • Explore plays such as The Comedy of ErrorsMacbethA Midsummer Night’s DreamRomeo & JulietThe Tempest, and Twelfth Night.
  • Read aloud and play drama games and meet other Shakespeare fans!
  • Led by professional actors and educators.
  • Up to 24 participants per session.

Check our website for dates and locations!

The Shakespeare Challenge– April 6, 2016

The twins meet. Egeon re-unites with his sons, Antipholus...and Antipholus.

For the past four years, community members from the corporate sector fearlessly took to the stage in productions of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s DreamThe TempestTwelfth Night, and The Comedy of Errors to raise funds for Shakespeare In Action’s educational programming. Their generosity has helped to foster literacy, enhance creativity and promote speech arts for youth at risk in Toronto’s priority neighborhoods.

Play announcement and registration information coming soon! Check our website for updates!

Shakespeare Summer Camp for Kids and Young Company for Teens Summer Training Program

The Cast!

Kids will learn to act, sing, improvise, construct costumes, and design sets – all while having the time of their lives! The program runs for 2 weeks, Monday to Friday, from 9am to 4pm daily. Our team of highly skilled professional actors provide master-class level instruction. Kids perform their very own Shakespeare production for parents, extended family, and friends!

The cast and directing team!

Teens will participate in a 4-week intensive training program in stage and film performance. Professional actors and directors lead workshops in theatre and film techniques. No drama or performance experience is required. Participants rehearse and perform one of Shakespeare’s more challenging plays. Teens are encouraged to develop their own interpretations of Shakespeare’s works to create and showcase a multi-media performance.

For more information, please visit the Shakespeare Summer Camp for Kids or Young Company for Teens page on our website!

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop- Making a difference in the lives of students!

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop is a vibrant, interactive presentation that demonstrates how modern hip-hop shares many similarities with the themes, language and rhythm used by Shakespeare. Both are full of poetry, word play and lyricism, and both deal with what it is to be human.

Students at Central Toronto Academy were inspired by the Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop performance, and found a way to combine Shakespeare and rap for their final Drama class project! Find out what they had to say about the show, and watch them rehearse!

The Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop tour will be back for the 2015/16 season! Visit our website or send an e-mail to info@shakespeareinaction.org for more info!

2015/16 SEASON ANNOUNCEMENT!

Shakespeare in Action is excited to announce our upcoming 2015/16 season! Tours, workshops, and our free library club are only some of the things that we will be bringing to your school and neighborhood in the coming year. We hope to continue fostering literacy, enhancing creativity and promoting speech arts in the lives of youth across Ontario. Take a look below to read about all of the great things we have in store for next season!

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop– School Tour, Nov 23- Dec 4, 2015 and April 18- May 6, 2016

shakespeare-meets-hip-hop-tour

Returning for the 2015/16 by popular demand, Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop is a vibrant, interactive presentation that demonstrates how modern hip-hop shares many similarities with the themes, language and rhythm used by Shakespeare. Both are full of poetry, word play and lyricism, and both deal with what it is to be human.

The presentation features three professional actors, thumb-nail sketches of Shakespeare’s life and times, and key scenes & speeches from Shakespeare’s most popularly studied plays – including MacbethRomeo & Juliet and Hamlet.

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop brings alive the parallels between the world of the plays and their own contemporary experience. It’s the perfect complement to your in-class teaching of a specific play, in the beginning, in the middle or at the end.

Visit our website for more information, or to book your school today!

Masterclass Workshops– Available from September- July! 
shakespeare-masterclass-workshops

  • 75-minute exploration of any Shakespeare play.
  • An opportunity to work with an experienced actor-educator who visits your school.
  • A chance for students to be on their feet, exploring the text through voice and movement exercises.
  • For Kindergarten – Grade 12, up to 30 students per workshop.
  • Programs available for ELL, ESL/EDL students.

For more information, or to book a workshop, please visit our website!

School Residencies– Available from September- June!

shakespeare-in-action-residency-program

  • An in-depth study of a Shakespeare play over several weeks.
  • An opportunity to work with a professional actor-educator who visits your school.
  • An interactive and dynamic approach to Shakespeare that gets students on their feet and exploring the story.
  • For Kindergarten – Grade 12, up to 30 students per Residency.

Fore more information, or to book a residency, please visit our Residencies page!

TD Shakespeare for Kids Library Club– Fall, Winter, and Spring Sessions
td-shakespeare-for-kids-library-club

  • free readers’ theatre program for kids ages 7-12
  • Magic, witches, ghosts, silly mix-ups, and swordplay in some of the greatest stories ever told!
  • Explore plays such as The Comedy of ErrorsMacbethA Midsummer Night’s DreamRomeo & JulietThe Tempest, and Twelfth Night.
  • Read aloud and play drama games and meet other Shakespeare fans!
  • Led by professional actors and educators.
  • Up to 24 participants per session.

Dates and locations coming soon. Check our website for updates!

The Shakespeare Challenge– April 6, 2016

Antipholus of Ephesus and Dromio of Ephesus are locked out of their home.

For the past four years, community members from the corporate sector fearlessly took to the stage in productions of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s DreamThe TempestTwelfth Night, and The Comedy of Errors to raise funds for Shakespeare In Action’s educational programming. Their generosity has helped to foster literacy, enhance creativity and promote speech arts for youth at risk in Toronto’s priority neighborhoods.

Play announcement and registration information coming soon! Check our website for updates!

Shakespeare Fight Club– Dates and location to be confirmed!

shakespeare-fight-club
Over eight rigorous weeks, Shakespeare in Actions leads an innovative new program in practical performance training, based in theories of embodiment. We blend stage combat, dance choreography and Shakespearean scene study with urban art forms such as break-dancing and hip hop, culminating in a series of public performances in the neighborhood. The program is led by an expert team of theatre professionals.

The program is based on the premise that young people at risk need safe creative spaces that are stimulating, challenging and thought provoking. We identify and address root causes of violence, and create a performance that seeks to positively reinforce the lives of our young participants, and to engender pride in the community.

For more information on the Shakespeare Fight Club, please visit our website!

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop- Touring May 4-15, 2015!

Shakespeare in Action’s popular touring interactive production Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop is back for the Spring of 2015!

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop is a vibrant, interactive presentation that demonstrates how modern hip-hop shares many similarities with the themes, language and rhythm used by Shakespeare. Both are full of poetry, word play and lyricism and both deal with what it is to be human.

The presentation features three professional actors, thumb-nail sketches of Shakespeare’s life and times, and key scenes & speeches from Shakespeare’s most popularly studied plays – including Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet.

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop brings alive the parallels between the world of the plays and their own contemporary experience. It’s the perfect complement to your in-class teaching of a specific play, in the beginning, in the middle or at the end.

This semester, help your students break through the Elizabethan language barrier with Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop!

For more information on the Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop interactive tour, or to book your school, visit our website!

Shakespeare in Action- 2015 at a glance!

Happy New Year, everyone! We hope you all had a wonderful and restful holiday season. The Shakespeare in Action team is officially back to work today, and we cannot wait to get started on all of the exciting projects we have lined up for the first half of 2015! Here is a sneak peak at what’s coming up!

td-shakespeare-for-kids-library-club

TD Shakespeare for Kids Library Club

Winter Session- Saturdays, January 31 – March 7, 2015

  • free readers’ theatre program for kids ages 7-12!
  • Explore plays such as The Comedy of ErrorsMacbeth, A Midsummer Night’s DreamRomeo & JulietThe Tempest, and Twelfth Night.
  • Read aloud and play drama games and meet other Shakespeare fans!
  • Led by professional actors and educators.
  • Visit  the TD Shakespeare for Kids Library Club page for locations and details!

O - Shakespeare in Action - Shakespeare Challenge - 2013 - The Island is Full of Noises

The Shakespeare Challenge

March 25, 2015 at the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto

Purchase a ticket for the Shakespeare Challenge Gala Fundraiser and join us for:

  • An abridged version of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errorsperformed by a cast of courageous community members! (We have opened new spots in the cast, and the deadline to register is January 9th! Find out how to register here.)
  • Food, drink, and live music following the show!
  • A live and silent auction of fabulous items and packages!
  • The chance to give youth in priority neighborhoods across Toronto access to the arts through our subsidized ticket program!

hamlet-stage-photo

On the Mainstage: Hamlet

April 13-24, 2015

Our most recent production of Hamlet returns to the mainstage this Spring! This dreamlike production incorporates mask puppets and shadow play to create a visually rich and engaging show while staying true to Shakespeare’s text. Teen audiences will fall in love with our dark and brooding Hamlet as he perseveres to find the truth. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Visit our Hamlet page for prices and booking info!

shakespeare-meets-hip-hop-marcel-stewart

On Tour: Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop

May 4- May 15, 2015

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop is a vibrant, interactive presentation that demonstrates how modern hip-hop shares many similarities with the themeslanguage and rhythm used by Shakespeare. Both are full of poetry, word play and lyricism and both deal with what it is to be human.

Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop brings alive the parallels between the world of the plays and their own contemporary experience. It’s the perfect complement to your in-class teaching of a specific play, in the beginning, in the middle or at the end. Visit our Shakespeare Meets Hip Hop page for booking info!

If you have any questions regarding our upcoming shows and events, please feel free to send us an e-mail, or call us at (416) 703-4881!