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SHAKESPEARE’S FOR THE MASSES IN TARRYTOWN
Tarrytown, N.Y. (January 15,
2007) New
and optimistic views about the potential of Shakespeare’s plays to help
students understand literature, human nature and the origins of American
phrases and culture are leading to a renewed interest in the Bard. In
Tarrytown, school administrators, the local YMCA and one very talented
off-Broadway director are so sure that Shakespeare can have a positive
effect on our children’s education and achievement that they are
offering elementary students from 4th to 6th grade
participation in Shakespeare plays for FREE.
On February 11th and 12th, a group of over 100
students at Washington Irving Elementary School will perform “Comedy of
Errors” four times. Not one of them paid a penny, all of them
auditioned, and each one of them got a part. The program is funded
through grants from the Westchester Community Foundation and the
Foundation for the Schools of the Tarrytowns to the Family YMCA at
Tarrytown.
“Any child who is willing to do the work, who is willing to be at his or
her rehearsals, should have a spot in the play, should have the
experience of being in a production,” says director Peter Royston.
“There will be plenty of time for them to be cut from teams, casts and
clubs later - our mandate is to be all-inclusive. I want to show the
kids that theatre can be a community, a family, a family that can be
tough and exacting, but one that is always welcoming.”
Amazingly, since its inception three years ago, the numbers of students
who want to do Shakespeare in this diversely populated district have
more than tripled, with many students coming back to help as assistant
directors after they’ve left elementary school.
The National Endowment for the Arts began an initiative called
“Shakespeare for a New Generation” in 2004, which has introduced
Shakespeare to more than 500,000 students. This week, a book is being
released by Penguin Books entitles “Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire.” Its
author, award winning L.A. teacher Rafe Esquith, is noted for his use of
Shakespeare as a unique tool to teach
fifth graders who are first-generation immigrants, living
in poverty and speaking English as a second language. There’s a
documentary about his class, called “The Hobart Shakespeareans.”
What the folks in Tarrytown are striving to do isn’t all
that different. Superintendent Howard Smith has encouraged teachers to
get kids to audition, commenting on how Shakespeare can help fill
literary deficits.
“Shakespeare is still the pinnacle of literature,” Smith’s been quoted
as saying.
Barbara Turk, vice president of marketing and community development for
the Tarrytown YMCA, said that learning Shakespeare has been used to help
immigrants assimilate. She is seeking and finding new ways to encourage
participation amongst the Latino community in Tarrytown and Sleepy
Hollow, which makes up about 54 percent of the population and often has
less exposure to theatre, and especially classical theatre. She quoted
from a Folger Shakespeare Library documentary on the history of
Shakespeare in America in which one expert declared: “Strangely enough,
Shakespeare was one of the ways that you became American.” In order to
open up the Shakespeare projects to as many kids as possible, the Y has
hired a dance instructor to work with close to 75 kids in performing
four dances to current pop hits that will be part of the street life in
Ephesus, where the play takes place.
The hope is that later, when students hear those songs, they’ll say
‘Hey, that's where Luciana was rejecting Antipholus,’ or ‘That's when
Antipholus thought he was going crazy,’ and they’ll continue to make
learning connections.
Director Royston is a former Off-Broadway director. Between 1987 and
1994, he ran his own classical theatre company in New York City,
producing the works of T.S. Eliot, George Bernard Shaw and, of course,
Shakespeare. Today he is a freelance writer, creating educational
material for Broadway, Off-Broadway, touring and regional productions.
He’s written over 50 study guides for public schools, including recent
guides for Tarzan, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King,
The Drowsy Chaperone and Grey Gardens.
“I have to say that I don't change my directing style when I work with
kids - I still demand the best from my actors, no matter what their
age,” Royston says. “Stephen Sondheim famously said that musical theatre
has no "Little League," no organized component in the lower grades to
show kids the hard work, the community, the family feeling that musicals
can give. That's what we're trying to do, not only with Shakespeare, but
with theatre in general.”
“When a child in late elementary school can say that they have mastered
a Shakespeare play at such an early age, that's an achievement that will
stay with them. They can say ‘If I can do a Shakespeare play, I can do
anything.’ And, of course, that's true,” Royston said.
Turk and Royston chose The Comedy of Errors for this season because of
its slapstick comedy and zaniness. “It’s a non-stop thrill ride of
shipwrecks, mistaken identities, romance, chase scenes, sword fights and
executions,” Royston said.
To bring out the absurd aspects of the characters and story, sets and
costumes will be based on absurdist paintings of Rene Magritte. The
characters will float through a surrealist canvas painted by Washington
Irving art teacher Jeannette Gallo and the students of WI school. Bowler
hats float through the sky, a huge boulder splits a ship in half and a
tuba lights on fire. Hand-made costumes, in bright colors, fantastical
patterns, and rich velvets and brocades will liven up the stage. The
leads’ costumes have been designed and stitched by Karma Thayer, and a
group of parent volunteers will help make dancer and townspeople
costumes.
“My main thrust with the production, and with all my Shakespeare
productions, is to de-mystify Shakespeare for the kids,” Royston says.
“There is such a negative onus on Shakespeare from kids and adults in
our society; I am so gratified when students laugh out loud at 400 year
old jokes or I overhear a student say to another, "this is so much fun."
Because Shakespeare should be fun, to see and to read. Shakespeare was
professional entertainer, pure and simple. He went to any length for his
audiences to have a good time, and this is the message I hope to get
across to all the kids.”
Comedy of Errors will be performed Monday, February 12 at 9:15 am and 7
pm, and Tuesday February 13 at 8:30 am and 7 pm, at the Washington
Irving School in Tarrytown, NY. Contact Barbara Turk at (914)
631-4807 for more information.
Over 4,200 people are
members of the Family YMCA at Tarrytown, which serves communities from
Hastings-on-Hudson to Peekskill. Members vary from preschoolers to
people in their late 80’s, including both families and individual
members. The Family YMCA at Tarrytown is a local charity, and
does not receive funding from the YMCA of the USA. Over 350 people
a year benefit locally from our scholarships for YMCA membership and
programs. YMCAs are for people of all faiths, races, ages, incomes and
abilities.
For more information, or to make a donation, contact Barbara Turk at
(914) 631-4807. |
