December is a wonderful time for planning a Shakespeare curriculum because most Shakespeare Festivals announce their 2012 season far in advance. Selecting a future field trip to see a performance of a play means that you can purpose yourself to read, explore, and enjoy a play with the reward of a performance at the end.
Let's take a look at what performances will be available next season!
The Cal Shakes Theatre in Orinda, near Berkeley, has released its 2012 schedule. They will be offering:
- The Tempest, from May 30-June 24
- Hamlet, from Sep. 12- Oct 7
For more information, visit www.calshakes.org.
The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival has also announced its 2012 season and will be showing:
- The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Another fun side-trip that can work in conjunction to a trip to The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival is a visit to Vikingholm, a "castle" available for public tours. For more information about The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, visit http://www.laketahoeshakespeare.com/.
The Shady Shakespeare Festival in Santa Clara will be performing:
- King Lear, from July 27- Aug 31.
They also offer Shakespeare summer camps for children! For more information, visit http://shadyshakes.org/index.php
The Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival, in Thousand Oaks, released its 2012 schedule which includes:
- Much Ado about Nothing, from June 29- July 15
- Romeo and Juliet, from July 20- Aug 5
They also provide a Shakespeare camp and workshops for younger learners. For more information, visit http://www.kingsmenshakespeare.org/.
The Festival Theatre Ensemble, in Los Gatos, will be having summer performances of:
- Mucho Ado about Nothing
- Romeo and Juliet
They also provide a Shakespeare camp and workshops. For more information, visit http://www.festivaltheatreensemble.org/.
Since both the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival and the Festival Theatre Ensemble are showing Much Ado and Romeo and Juliet, you can visit multiple performances for a compare/contrast activity!
If your young learners are not ready for the theatre, though most of these performances take place outdoors, there are other destinations in California that would be well-suited for a Shakespeare-inspired field trip. These include:
The Shakespeare Garden in San Francisco, which features flora mentioned and emphasized in a number of Shakespeare's plays. This field trip can range from a casual trip with an informal visit to a more intensive unit study focusing on plant life within the plays and their roles as symbolic elements.
For more information about the garden, visit http://www.golden-gate-park.com/garden-of-shakespeares-flowers.html.
Nearly any play can be read out-of-doors, using the scenery as a performance stage. Midsummer Night's Dream and The Tempest are two plays that work exceptionally well outdoors, perhaps in a state park.
No matter where you choose to read, perform, or be audience to a professional performance, Shakespeare need not be taught indoors. As you read his plays, look for local opportunities to bring his plays to life.
