shakespeare’sPLAYS have always transcended the dramatic stage. Over the centuries, they have been adapted into operas, ballets, vaudeville and minstrelsy acts, silent and sound pictures, animated cartoons, and television programs. Yet regardless of the changing venues and genres, one thing remains constant: each staging is inevitably conditioned by the times, the medium, and the director’s vision. This semester, we will approach Shakespeare’s works with this concept in mind. We will study Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, Othello, Henry V, and Twelfth Night, delving into the narratives, characters, themes, and language of each. We will also survey several adaptations of the plays, both staged and cinematic, in order to encounter the virtually limitless ways in which these 400-year-old works may be interpreted. Finally, so that students may recognize that each staging is a product of the time period in which it is created, we will discuss the production in its historical and cultural context. Basic theatre and film terminology will be introduced.

NOTE: Students will NOT be judged on their ability to act or direct; they are merely being asked to consider Shakespeare from the perspective of an actor and/or director.

Trailer for Othello (Oliver Parker, 1996)