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SHAKESPEARE CLASSROOM
Live
theatre is magical. Shakespeare Classroom, an off-campus learning adventure
created and hosted by the MBA English Department, was designed for our students
to be exhilarated by the efforts of some of the finest actors whose names
they have never heard of. The idea is that the best
way to learn about and appreciate the works of Shakespeare and other dramatists
is to see their works performed well, in this case professionally by the Oregon
Shakespeare Festival.
Most
of us, I think, associate the word “actor” with the people
we watch in movies and television shows. We’ve all seen great
achievements by film and television actors on screen. They’ve
rehearsed their lines and their performances are captured through the lens
of a camera. From those ”takes”, a director makes a decision
about which one should live on
forever as the performance, the one we eventually see.
The
process for a stage actor is much different. Performances are given
in front of a different live audience each time and, in the case of the Oregon
Shakespeare Festival, there will be literally dozens of performances of each
play presented over the course of the season. For these actors there
is no such thing as “Take 2”. And
whatever they do
lives on only in the hearts and minds of the audience. Every performance is
different, and once that performance is given, it is gone forever.
Shakespeare Classroom students were in Ashland from September 8-11 and
saw five of the eleven plays that are part of the OSF’s 2004 season,
The Royal Family, by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber, and four plays by
William
Shakespeare: Henry VI, Part One, Much Ado About Nothing, The Comedy
of Errors, and King Lear.
In a group discussion after their encounter with these works of comedy,
history, and tragedy, our students demonstrated significant understanding
of theatre in general and these plays specifically. They were able
to engage in sophisticated dialogue about the characters and themes found
in each of the plays.
In addition to hearing these plays, students participated in workshops
and classroom activities by members of the OSF acting company and took
a Backstage Tour of the three theatres where the plays were presented. It
was a significant time of learning for the students who were part of the experience.
GIRLS INTERVENTION
Two times a year for boys and one time a year for girls, Mount Bachelor Academy offers a special challenge for a group of 14 students at a nearby ranch. The goals of this intervention are several: 1) To challenge students physically so they can realize what they are capable of when they do their best. 2) To challenge students to go beyond their personal wants for the good of the group and to form a strong, positive, community with a small group of people. 3) To give students the opportunity to become honest about their situation and strive for something more. 4) To bring the primary community at Mount Bachelor Academy back into balance. This August’s girl’s intervention was no exception. The young women who participated, came back inspired by what they had accomplished, which encouraged others to do better as well.
Thank you to the energetic staff members who made this an extraordinary experience: Lynn Vigil, Cate Devlin, Julie Stuben, and Bill Hoffman.
…I wanted to give up many times. I felt numb. When my turn finally came, I just let it go…I wanted to leave behind my “I can’t” attitude. B.R.
…I want a clean slate from this intervention, to be able to think more clearly and get grounded within again. Fairley
…I am here because in my past I have done some harmful things to my family and myself. I am here to help myself get a purpose in life. A.P.
…The run today was awesome. My friend helped me the whole way back and kept me going. While we were running we sang a song. Through my pain and suffering I helped someone else and it felt really good. K.D.
…On the Ohana Hill, what was even more powerful was when I closed my eyes and felt my parents next to me giving their forgiveness and accepting me for who I am. C.P.
…Day six, positive thought: Keep going, it feels good… I am committed to contribute my love, support, and honesty with my family……. K.L.
…It felt so great to say what I said today on the Ohana Hill. I definitely needed to do that. It was awesome how much everyone supported me and I loved hearing them cheer me on. D.R.
…I am committed 100% to be a positive role model for my sister. Wisdom of the day: Integrity means doing the right thing even when no one else is around. K.A.
…My peers will see the real true me not the confused, lost girl. My peers will see my passions, my true colors. Annie
…I have never been so emotionally, mentally, and physically challenged in my life. Today is my fourth day and I have battled with lying, fear, embarrassment, and uncertainty…I won’t give up…Positive thinking ladies, we are almost done. G.Z.
…On the Ohana Hill, I thought and felt about not making it more complicated than it already was. I ran a lot while Cate kept reading the same quote from my journal the whole time: “I want to bury my fear of what might happen if I do something good!” C.B.
…On the Hill, I ran. I thought. I ran and thought. I wasn’t feeling my emotions. Eventually, I let things seep in. At the end, I got the courage to let things out. The pain, the disrespect, the dishonesty, all the things that had held me back. T.P.
…As I’m sitting at my solo site, I’m thinking how stupid it was to refuse…I wanted to yell out “please let me join you guys” but my head just said, “I’ll show you”… “I’ll make you pay”. Tomorrow I will do something different. S.M.
… I heard I need to start letting people into my life because I act like a mean person who pushes people away. But, all I really want is to be held and loved. Ol.
Pictures from the intervention are available ONLY for the parents of participants by contacting Alex Bitz
ACW (Alternative Curriculum Week) = No classes !!
While older students at Mount Bachelor Academy went on home breaks, the rest of us engaged in what we call ACW. Activities were planned for student enjoyment like Discovery trip, river classroom and numerous day trips and events: Kahneetah Warm Springs for swimming, soccer, movie trips, cooking with Cate, Ceramic studio and many more.
THE BEARS!!!
The girls volleyball team continued to have fun during the season playing several games on Saturday. All of our best wishes to the players and the inspiring coaches: Danielle Harris and Wendy Frank.
For more pictures of the Fall 2004 events click HERE.
For SUMMER 2004 events click HERE
For SPRING 2004 events click HERE
For WINTER 2004 events click HERE
For LOOKING GLASS 2003 click HERE
Thanks
for helping with this page: Glenn A., Kori K., Carla C., Sharon B., and others.
