Mike Weatherford
Jason Bracelin
Heidi Knapp Rinella
Christopher Lawrence
Carol Cling
Steve Bornfeld
Anthony Del Valle
THEATER REVIEW; 'Taming of the Shrew'
What’s to be done with the Utah Shakespearean Festival’s Shakespeare-in-the-Schools program? Year after year, the touring troupe from Cedar City invades high schools in four states with 75-minute slapstick routines that try to pass for culture.
This year it’s “The Taming of the Shrew.” Teenagers, the thinking seems to go, are far too dumb to appreciate the real Bard, so the show is set in the Wild, Wild West. It’s Annie Oakley talking funny. People fall down a lot, men jump in fright into each other’s arms, and guys sing goofy versions of “Home on the Range.”
“Shrew” is one Shakespeare’s easiest to understand plays. Beautiful younger daughter Bianca (Kristen Henley) can’t get married till her ill-tempered older sister Katharina (Katrina Kuntz) finds a man. It ain’t going to be easy. But along comes scheming bounty hunter Petruchio (Benjamin Brinton) who vows to win the woman for her purse.
What makes this show such a downer isn’t that it’s set in the Wild West. It’s that it isn’t really set at all. It has no foundation. We can’t follow the progression of the main lovers’ relationship because they’re not people. They’re cardboard cutouts of a conception. The other characters provide broad smirks and weird walks to try to choke laughs out of the audience.
The acting is of college-level competence, which is to say enjoyable but nothing that isn’t available at most community theaters.
The kids hollered and hooted every time someone kissed or fell down, but I didn’t sense they were getting involved with the words. What’s to gain by teaching students Shakespeare was a Fox network sitcom?
What: “The Taming of the Shrew”
When: 8 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. Saturday
Where: Nicholas J. Horn Theatre, College of Southern Nevada, 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave., North Las Vegas
Tickets: $10-$12
Grade: F
This entry was posted on Tuesday, Feb. 02, 2010 at 02:39 PM
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29
Responses
to "THEATER REVIEW; 'Taming of the Shrew'"
After reading the play in its entirety, I took my students to see this production. While we couldn't envision hos the play could be westernized, we were all pleasantly surprised. My students loved it, and that is enough for me. These productions make Shakespeare come alive for students.
I say grade this production earned a resounding "A"!!
I say grade this production earned a resounding "A"!!
After my students created their own modern day scenes from this play,we attended the production. Here they were able to enjoy it in a whole new setting and they were thrilled. It was fun and matched the energy and humor of the students while introducing them to the Bard's wit, language and mirth as well as providing them an experience with live theater. I am in agreement with Kathleen Bushnell when she gives the production a resounding "A"!
As a high school student who attended the production with a class, I must say that I am in complete agreement with Mr. De Valle. This 'production' was not only flat and lacking in both setting and depth, it lacks the entire juxtaposition granted to the audience by the entire pseudo play occurring in 'reality' with Sly. This loss in itself destroyed the plays validity to me, as it failed to be there to accent the already missing motif of identity of self versus identity in reality which the play is supposed to lend. As for the fact that the kids liked the play, as a high school student I can vouch for the fact that my entire generation is steeped in a culture of idiocy! They were just happy to not have to be in school! We could have been taken to an amateur comedy bit in the downtown area and still have enjoyed ourselves just as much because it was contrary to our normal activities! There was an audience participation bit during the scene of the wedding for God's sake! There is a difference between taking kids to a milk/cheese farm to see cows and taking them to a slaughterhouse for the same reason. Sure either way they get to see cows, much like how we got to see the bard be performed, but in truth there is still a major question of quality, and it is here that this play falls ridiculously short. F not only to the play, but to the mob mentality which generates this sort of second-hand, butchered, festering, mind-opium which has become so pervasive in our literary culture.
I am a high school student and I do not agree. We read the play before seeing it in the theater and I understood most of it before going to see the production. Seeing the production helped me understand everything I might not have understood when reading it. I highly disagree when Mr. Del Valle grades it with an "F". I would give it an "A" but I wouldn't be so astonished if Mr. Del Valle would have even given it maybe a "B" or "C" being more experienced with theater productions than me. They made 'The Taming of the Shrew' easier to understand. And the 'broad smirks and weird walks' made us laugh as they were meant to. It kept us high school students interested.
I am also a high school student and I do NOT agree with Mr. Del Valle's grading. I read the play before seeing the production and seeing it performed helped me understand what I couldn't understand by reading it. 'Taming of the Shrew' is meant to a comedy, so laughter is intended. If Mr. Del Valle wanted to see a tragedy then he should have found a theater that showed 'Macbeth.' Other than that the production 'Taming of the Shrew' deserves an "A"!!
I'm a teenager, and we're not all as dumb as you seem to think; we were very much able to 'get involved with the words. Maybe you should read some of the stuff you type and see who's actually dumb. Shakespeare used that same kind of 'slapstick' humor in this play, the Utah Shakespearean Festival group just edited slightly to make it slightly more understandable. In case you failed to notice Mr. Del Valle there were also elementary school children in the audience. I highly doubt they would have understood the play had the brilliant group not tweaked it. This was one of the finer plays I've seen, and please don't insult my intelligence. They kept to the plot, used Shakespearean, made it understandable, and it was funny as well. To Mr. Del Valle I say "who died and made you king of the theater?"
Mr. Del Valle, it is quite insulting the way you directed your negative comments to teenagers. I find that it show that you have a lack of intelligence. My sister is an honor student, definitely not dumb. She is far more mature than your assumptions. If you are to speak, next time know what you are talking about. I can guarentee that there are teenagers with higher comprehintion levels than even you have. So next time don't point out an entire group if you have no comprehension of what you are talking about.
I suppose you, Mr. Del Valle, have never been a high school student. You must have never been forced to read, analyze, and chew over a piece of literature which, to tell you the truth, you couldn't care less about. I can also presume you weren't a favorite of teenagers as a teacher. Students need to be shown common interests and ways of understanding, a concept which I can trust you understand. While the Westernization of this play was unorthodox, it wasn't without reason.
In response to your "card board characters" reference, I urge you to reread Shakespeare's actual script. The production was set up as well, if not better, than the text itself. Their version showed the students: the characters, their behaviors, and their motifs all while keeping them entertained and intrigued. If you are suggesting the director stray from the original text then I recommend you visit your nearest Blockbusters.
In conclusion, Mr. Del Valle, I'd like to ask you why you are judging a play, that is meant to please and entertain, so ridiculously? Maybe you should have judged yourself a little harsher when you were studying to be a "real journalist".
You seem to have plenty of experience in the theatre and with literature, that i can only guess you know what you are talking about. I have to presume then, that you have gone hard in age or are the typical New Yorker everyone is warned about.
Even though you have a bucket of rotten apples, you could have stuck your head in there and found one fresh and shared it with us. It is too bad those good apples, don't sell newspapers....
In response to your "card board characters" reference, I urge you to reread Shakespeare's actual script. The production was set up as well, if not better, than the text itself. Their version showed the students: the characters, their behaviors, and their motifs all while keeping them entertained and intrigued. If you are suggesting the director stray from the original text then I recommend you visit your nearest Blockbusters.
In conclusion, Mr. Del Valle, I'd like to ask you why you are judging a play, that is meant to please and entertain, so ridiculously? Maybe you should have judged yourself a little harsher when you were studying to be a "real journalist".
You seem to have plenty of experience in the theatre and with literature, that i can only guess you know what you are talking about. I have to presume then, that you have gone hard in age or are the typical New Yorker everyone is warned about.
Even though you have a bucket of rotten apples, you could have stuck your head in there and found one fresh and shared it with us. It is too bad those good apples, don't sell newspapers....
I love how all of the comments made by other students just go to prove the mindless loop which the majority of youths minds work in. You people can't even understand the point being made to the point that you can form a proper rebuttal. All you've done is throw rocks at a theater critic who has earned his position and acted on your emotions. It's just endless, mindless rabble with you isn't it. No substance in any of you, no wonder you can't tell when you're watching drek which lacks substance either...
Yes. It is meaningless but we are getting extra credit for "ranting". You would probably do it yourself.
You're a youth too smart one. I know you think you're better than the rest of us because you're smart and get really good grades; nobody cares. Just like Mr. Del Valle you need to get over yourself. You're just bitter; no I don't know why, and I don't care either. The rest of us obviously get the point much better than you do. You didn't like that the play was missing sly, get over it. They had to cut things out to keep the production short enough for us to attend. Open your eyes and you'll see that they did a good job of keeping our attention, and still sticking to Shakespeare's text.
To Solomon:
First off, i doubt anyone read what you first put until after they sent their comment or right now.
Second, no one is being a Pollyanna here. We were stating our opinions like you were and how dare you call us idiots! You don't even know us to call us that. You sound like a bitter person who really needs to get over himself and get away from the computer or phone that has the internet.
The production had a time limit and they couldn't put every single thing in it like the induction. The induction wasn't even that important. Seriously if you are upset about the production not having it, then you should make one by yourself, sell some tickets, and then let us criticize it.
First off, i doubt anyone read what you first put until after they sent their comment or right now.
Second, no one is being a Pollyanna here. We were stating our opinions like you were and how dare you call us idiots! You don't even know us to call us that. You sound like a bitter person who really needs to get over himself and get away from the computer or phone that has the internet.
The production had a time limit and they couldn't put every single thing in it like the induction. The induction wasn't even that important. Seriously if you are upset about the production not having it, then you should make one by yourself, sell some tickets, and then let us criticize it.
I am one of the many intellectual high school students who went to this production and absolutely adored it. I would say that about 98% of my peers would give this play an A+. The westernization of the play was indeed unorthodox, but it was pulled together with tremendous eloquence. You, yourself Mr. Del Valle said that year after year the actors as well as their crew travel to four different states; if they were as horrible as you are trying to portray then they would not be invited back again, and again.
People falling down and men jumping into each other's arms was part of the original play which I would like to remind both Mr. Del Valle and Solomon that this play was a comedy. Laughter is permitted in this play, if not mandatory. The story is easily followed, and the set does go along with the play. The actors did an amazing job and the majority if not all of the students did; in fact, understand the words.
This play was one of the best I have seen, for I would joyfully see it five times without a yawn in sight. Mr. Del Valle your bitterness is quite a dismal sight. As for you Soloman you are just a bitter and arrogant person who needs to act their age and quit 'trying' to be intellectual.
People falling down and men jumping into each other's arms was part of the original play which I would like to remind both Mr. Del Valle and Solomon that this play was a comedy. Laughter is permitted in this play, if not mandatory. The story is easily followed, and the set does go along with the play. The actors did an amazing job and the majority if not all of the students did; in fact, understand the words.
This play was one of the best I have seen, for I would joyfully see it five times without a yawn in sight. Mr. Del Valle your bitterness is quite a dismal sight. As for you Soloman you are just a bitter and arrogant person who needs to act their age and quit 'trying' to be intellectual.
Theater plays are a form of entertainment, which means they are meant to entertain! They cannot follow word for word, play by play in making these productions. The identity versus reality theme was clearly shown throughout the play anyhow, with Lucentio and Horentiso dressing up as teachers, even though they were not. And along with the entertainment comment, they added more flavor to the play! It's nice to see a director show his own view of Shakespeare and you should come to the theater knowing that it won't be exactly what you expected. Everybody has a different view on literary works. A main objective in plays is to keep the audience involved and that is what they did! They knew that they were going to be performing this to a audience that varies in age, so they went with Shakespeare's slapstick humor that IS obvious throughout his plays and added onto that to make it fit to ALL ages of audience. Everybody can relate to a few laughs. And "cardboard cutouts of a conception"... isn't that what artwork does? They take a certain concept and work around it. Add to the idea, make it unique, and let you identify with it and judge it as you will. It lets your mind wander and "The Taming of the Shrew" was meant to question you. It asked what YOU thought of the concepts of what marriage equals. The relationship of women and men, servant and master, etc.
I will be completely straight forth, I am not nearly as intellectual as the rest of the students who have posted here. I am, however, and admirer of fine art and this most definately falls in that category in my opinion. As the others have said the westernized version was unorthodox, but it made it fun. It was intended to be a comedy and I found it very humorous. My class read the play before hand and the actors portrayed it in such a way that made it easier for me to understand, as it did many other students I presume. I respect the opinions of Mr. Del Valle, but seriously these actors worked very hard for this production and I'm sure they don't appreciate such negative feedback. Have a little common courtesy.
As for the play itself , I personally would give it a B or something of the sort. It was a pleasent surprise to me and I think I can speak for others when I say it surprised us how good they played the characters and how well they made the transition from the original to Western. As for what the play got I don't pesronally agree. I do , however , think it was graded a little harshly as many others agree.
The way I see it is its an opinion. It's only Del Valle's opinion . We are free to have our own opinion on it and we do. But what do I know , I'm only a lowly "unable to understand" high school student.
Oh well.
It's too bad we won't be able to tame ALL of the shrews in the world .
The way I see it is its an opinion. It's only Del Valle's opinion . We are free to have our own opinion on it and we do. But what do I know , I'm only a lowly "unable to understand" high school student.
Oh well.
It's too bad we won't be able to tame ALL of the shrews in the world .
I'm not going to repeat what the majority of the people here have said; however, I still agree with my peers. I think that Solomon here and Mr. Anthony Del Valle need to open their minds. I don't know if either of them have ever read Shakespeare, but if they had and if they had studied his work without over analyzing it, then they'd see that the play was fine. Shakespeare used "slapstick" humor ALL OF THE TIME. I'd like to see the two of you put together a better play than the one you're ripping apart. I don't think either of these "critics" are nearly as smart as they think they are. If my teacher wasn't going to read this and if this site didn't proofread all of its entries, I would say a hell of a lot more to the two geniuses insulting ME. Oh, and Solomon, where exactly is the substance in your responses? Make a real point instead of kissing up to Mr. Anthony Del Valle, who included you in the group of dumb teenagers he referenced in his review.
I really appreciate all these comments. I never as a critic think that I am "right." I just write about my reaction to a play, and I know very well that I may not always be accurate.
Please understand though: I didn't mean to imply that teenagers are "dumb." I meant that for me, these too-simplified versions of Shakespeare suggest that the authors think they must dumb-down his plays to make teenagers understand them. I certainly meant no disrespect to teenagers. I've taught high school, and high schoolers have taught me a lot. Thanks again to all of you for sharing your opinions.
anthony del valle
Please understand though: I didn't mean to imply that teenagers are "dumb." I meant that for me, these too-simplified versions of Shakespeare suggest that the authors think they must dumb-down his plays to make teenagers understand them. I certainly meant no disrespect to teenagers. I've taught high school, and high schoolers have taught me a lot. Thanks again to all of you for sharing your opinions.
anthony del valle
Excuse me, Joe and the rest of the people here who take offense to my comments. If you are all so intelligent the please prove it! I do not mean to me, my opinion is inconsequential. If the rest of the youth are so greatly insulted by comments such as this, then why do they insist upon making fools out of themselves? All our generation is amounting to is Jersey Shore, Twilight, and Kanye West! This has gotten to the point where, as Mr. Del Valle pointed out, things are simply assumed about our intelligence levels. Why? From my personal experience with people like you I would say because there are no original thoughts here, no reforming ideas to be dealt. Like I said: it's just mob mentality. Who are any of you to tell me that I have no original opinion, when all the lot of you seem to be (youth at large in this city at least) are the regurgitations of whatever was on MTV last night or whatever it is you partake in? Where did the life go? Where is the prevalent spark which made Shakespeare great and which causes us to even have an English class? Not here I say! No longer with you, the masses, does it lie. By the way, grades are no true measure of intelligence, only of work ethic. Character, ideals, values, conviction; these are what matter. They are also sorely lacking here as well.
Del Valle made it clear that he has his own opinion and was very respectfull. but Solomon-really? Youre saying that we teenagers have no Character, ideals, values. you don't know any of us. and we are just stating our opinion. im sorry you didnt like the play but that doesnt make you any better than us.
Who are you to say that we all are having a mob mentality? These are our OPINIONS. speaking for myself i liked the play and nothing any of my peers say would curve that opinion.
Who are you to say that we all are having a mob mentality? These are our OPINIONS. speaking for myself i liked the play and nothing any of my peers say would curve that opinion.
Solomon, Mr. Del Valle now made it clear for us, but you seriously need a life. As I have said BEFORE, we are stating our opinions just like you. You have no idea what kind of people we are to criticize us like that. Maybe it is you who's amounting to Jersey Shore, Twilight, and Kanye West. Or maybe you're using your friends, if you have any.
I know people who absolutely love everything about William Shakespeare and his work and they also loved the production.
Yes i agree that grades are no true measure of intelligence, only of work ethic, but it still says what kind of person you are.
Back to the production. It was a great production because they stuck to what Shakespeare intended it to be; a comedy. They interacted with the audience to make us laugh and they made it appropriate for the little kids that attended. If they had a longer time limit then maybe they would have put EVERYTHING in it, but since they didn't then oh well. They stuck to the major topics which were a beautiful sister that couldn't get married until her horrid sister got married first, and the whole "'taming' of the shrew." The Shakespeare language is a difficult language to understand so a lot of people couldn't understand what was going on while reading his play. Once they saw the production they understood what they couldn't at first. I myself couldn't understand the play until I saw it in person.
This is just MY opinion. Solomon I know you might not agree with something I have said or you will argue again, but as I have said it is MY opinion.
I know people who absolutely love everything about William Shakespeare and his work and they also loved the production.
Yes i agree that grades are no true measure of intelligence, only of work ethic, but it still says what kind of person you are.
Back to the production. It was a great production because they stuck to what Shakespeare intended it to be; a comedy. They interacted with the audience to make us laugh and they made it appropriate for the little kids that attended. If they had a longer time limit then maybe they would have put EVERYTHING in it, but since they didn't then oh well. They stuck to the major topics which were a beautiful sister that couldn't get married until her horrid sister got married first, and the whole "'taming' of the shrew." The Shakespeare language is a difficult language to understand so a lot of people couldn't understand what was going on while reading his play. Once they saw the production they understood what they couldn't at first. I myself couldn't understand the play until I saw it in person.
This is just MY opinion. Solomon I know you might not agree with something I have said or you will argue again, but as I have said it is MY opinion.
Im going to go ahead and disagree with Del Valle and Solomon..it may be true that most students that were at the play were only there because it was an opertunity to get out of school.. i can agree with that..for me i was less then happy to be leaving school for a day and going to a play i really didn't want to see. I thought i was just going to sit there and be bored for 75 minutes and watch something i didnt care for. In the end i ended up enjoying it because of the western version. The point of these kind of plays is to make it enjoyable for everyone. Making this play a western version did that. i can tell everyone now i saw that play any other way i would not have liked it. As for the kids hooting and hollering when ever someone kissed..that would happen no matter how the play was acted. Its what kids do.. its what teens do..u cant expect to do that in a play and not have someone do that..and of cource if one person does it more are going to join. Its just how it is
It's impossible to take a side on this. Both sides have some valid points. Shakespeare IS supposed to be more intelligent than the average comedy. Tons of high-production movies are based Shakespeare, so if you want to see a "dumbed down" version of Shakespeare you can always check out a movie like "10 things I hate about you", or "She's the Man".
At the same time, this is a production aimed mostly at high schoolers(the production company stated that most of the plays they do are put on for high schools), so maybe the only way they could keep the majority of high schoolers interested is by kissing scenes and "slapstick humor" as Joe stated.
I can't take either side on this issue, and I feel like the "intelligent" thing to do would be to just agree that both sides have good points.
P.S. Solomon, you're not half as "intelligent" as you think you are, so take it down a notch :)
At the same time, this is a production aimed mostly at high schoolers(the production company stated that most of the plays they do are put on for high schools), so maybe the only way they could keep the majority of high schoolers interested is by kissing scenes and "slapstick humor" as Joe stated.
I can't take either side on this issue, and I feel like the "intelligent" thing to do would be to just agree that both sides have good points.
P.S. Solomon, you're not half as "intelligent" as you think you are, so take it down a notch :)
I'm a high school student & I definitely don't agree with Del Valle's criticisn. My class read the book before we went to watch the play and I'm sure everyone was able to understand it much better due to seeing the play actually ACTED OUT like its meant to be.
SOLOMON: First of all, you have never heard of what a "comedy" is, huh? In case you didnt know, this play IS meant to be a comedy and its meant to make people laugh. May I also add that Shakespeare had written these plays to, first off, ENTERTAIN, and of course to have anyone enjoy it. This play was simple&short so that we actually had time to see it... of course no one would want to sit and watch a play for two or so hours. And the fact that this play was actually made into a western version makes it even better. Not only is it fun, but it shows the director's originality.
But of course, we all have our own opinions... solomon is taking it more personal though... let's hope someday this shrew can be tamed.
SOLOMON: First of all, you have never heard of what a "comedy" is, huh? In case you didnt know, this play IS meant to be a comedy and its meant to make people laugh. May I also add that Shakespeare had written these plays to, first off, ENTERTAIN, and of course to have anyone enjoy it. This play was simple&short so that we actually had time to see it... of course no one would want to sit and watch a play for two or so hours. And the fact that this play was actually made into a western version makes it even better. Not only is it fun, but it shows the director's originality.
But of course, we all have our own opinions... solomon is taking it more personal though... let's hope someday this shrew can be tamed.
I know that I may get some negative feedback tomorrow at school, but in some ways I would have to agree with Solomon.
What you first need to know though, is that I really enjoyed the play as did many of my fellow classmates. I believed it really did help us understand certain actions and emotions of the actors.
I do agree with you, Solomon, that the majority of our generation can be very ignorant and influenced by the worthless garbage that is displayed in televison or in music...but that is NOT everyone, just the MAJORITY. I often feel disappointed in the way teenagers act and think, but it is not completely our fault. In the past century, our world has seen such a growth in technology that it has really affected us in some negative and some positive ways. Unfortunately, this and many other things have contributed to the lack of morals and lack of motivation in many adolescents.What people like you AND me need to do, is be a little less critical of our peers, and try to better our generation. We need to reach out to others and inspire them to be...MORE! Hopefully we can slowly become a more motivated generation, so that our futures can be brighter, because whether we like it or not, we all have to live together :)
What you first need to know though, is that I really enjoyed the play as did many of my fellow classmates. I believed it really did help us understand certain actions and emotions of the actors.
I do agree with you, Solomon, that the majority of our generation can be very ignorant and influenced by the worthless garbage that is displayed in televison or in music...but that is NOT everyone, just the MAJORITY. I often feel disappointed in the way teenagers act and think, but it is not completely our fault. In the past century, our world has seen such a growth in technology that it has really affected us in some negative and some positive ways. Unfortunately, this and many other things have contributed to the lack of morals and lack of motivation in many adolescents.What people like you AND me need to do, is be a little less critical of our peers, and try to better our generation. We need to reach out to others and inspire them to be...MORE! Hopefully we can slowly become a more motivated generation, so that our futures can be brighter, because whether we like it or not, we all have to live together :)
I wasn't going to comment on this blog for I felt it was going to be just a waste of my time, but of course with my temper, stupidity can not be left unanswered. So, I will try my best to muzzle the "anaylsts" on this page in 300 words. First and foremost nothing is to be done with the Utah Shakespearean Festival's Shakespear-in-the-Schools program. It was a great play that quickly caught the audiences attention. Mr. Anthony Del Valle states that teenagers, are far too dumb to appreciate the real Bard and that we just went crazy for the kisses and falls? The theater was actually full of students as well as teachers, and they also went crazy for the similar concepts. You probably tried so hard not to blurt out laughing. You probably enjoyed the "Home on the Range", the Wild Wild West, the people falling down, and everything else that us "absent-minded teenagers" didn't even notice in the play. I am a teenager and while I was reading you blog I noticed you critized the littlest details that I didn't even notice. The unimportant, pointless details. Obviously we were "involved with the words" because we laughed and hollered at the parts meant for laughing and hollering. I would love to see you on that stage portraying Shakespeare into every one of our minds...what would you have done different?! Nothing! Because you cant. You are both physically and mentally unable to...that is why you are a critic.
I do not care about what other people have said about this play. I enjoyed every minute of it. Oh Yeah!! Maybe this play should be called Taming of the Solomon. Im just kidding :D
I am not going to despise on Mr. Del Valle and Solomon; in fact, they're just stating their own opinions about the play like all of us. It just bothers me how they portray high school students as unintelligent. In this generation, it does seem that most of the students are just witless teens, but it should not be directed to all of them.
I respect both Mr. Del Valle and Solomon's judgement about the play; however, I don't fully agree with it. It wasn't the kind of Shakespeare play we imagined it to be since it was westernized, yet I enjoyed it completely. The play did focus more on making it understandable and comical, but this was because it was meant for different grade levels to watch. They did a great job on acting out the play even though it was westernized. It did not make Shakespeare writing less intellectual because of the theme.
I respect both Mr. Del Valle and Solomon's judgement about the play; however, I don't fully agree with it. It wasn't the kind of Shakespeare play we imagined it to be since it was westernized, yet I enjoyed it completely. The play did focus more on making it understandable and comical, but this was because it was meant for different grade levels to watch. They did a great job on acting out the play even though it was westernized. It did not make Shakespeare writing less intellectual because of the theme.
As an educator and mother of an honor student, I would never refer to a student as "too dumb." A student who develops a love of literature?
The opportunity to see a theatre production of a Shakespeare play is a treasure. And, as a testament to the timeless appeal that Shakespeare has on youth today, isn't it refreshing to know that his works can be written in more a more modern fashion?
Educators are required to teach about Shakespeare, and in preparation, do study the impact he has had on literature. During the process, Taming of the Shrew is studied, to analyze story elements. The setting and the language of the play is discussed beforehand. And, afterwards, we follow up with more research of his works.
To become familiar with Shakespeare and the theater is a wonderful experience. As my students said, " I learned about life while watching the play." Theatre, and the exposure to the art of acting is very powerful and empowering. For my students, they may never have had such an opportunity.
Shakespeare was no genius, however, he changed our English language. He inspired others with his passion and wit. So, too, do we as educators, when we expose our students to literature as creative expression.
Please do not underestimate our teens, especially for what they are accustomed to appreciate during these times. But, instead, applaud their desire to be inspired, to appreciate literature and to consider it as a form of artistic expression. But mostly, to appreciate it and desire it in their lives.
I do understand your criticism of the play straying from a more traditional setting, however, students did get exposure to the language of Shakespeare.I am thankful for the opportunity to expose my students to theatre. This is what the Bard does, thankfully.
The opportunity to see a theatre production of a Shakespeare play is a treasure. And, as a testament to the timeless appeal that Shakespeare has on youth today, isn't it refreshing to know that his works can be written in more a more modern fashion?
Educators are required to teach about Shakespeare, and in preparation, do study the impact he has had on literature. During the process, Taming of the Shrew is studied, to analyze story elements. The setting and the language of the play is discussed beforehand. And, afterwards, we follow up with more research of his works.
To become familiar with Shakespeare and the theater is a wonderful experience. As my students said, " I learned about life while watching the play." Theatre, and the exposure to the art of acting is very powerful and empowering. For my students, they may never have had such an opportunity.
Shakespeare was no genius, however, he changed our English language. He inspired others with his passion and wit. So, too, do we as educators, when we expose our students to literature as creative expression.
Please do not underestimate our teens, especially for what they are accustomed to appreciate during these times. But, instead, applaud their desire to be inspired, to appreciate literature and to consider it as a form of artistic expression. But mostly, to appreciate it and desire it in their lives.
I do understand your criticism of the play straying from a more traditional setting, however, students did get exposure to the language of Shakespeare.I am thankful for the opportunity to expose my students to theatre. This is what the Bard does, thankfully.
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