Registration for the Illinois Shakespeare Festival’s summer education programs is now open. The Festival has a wide variety of options, including four camps for youth and two classes for adults. Brand new offerings include a musical theatre camp and workshops exploring the Festival’s two Shakespeare plays this season, Much Ado About Nothing and King Lear.
Youth Camps
Bard Buddies: Elementary
Attention adventurers! Join us on a trek through the magical worlds of William Shakespeare. Discover who William Shakespeare was and meet fairies, ghosts, witches, bears, and more. Students will create and explore the power of storytelling through crafts and activities.
Who: Students entering 3rd through 5th grades
When: July 11-22, Monday-Friday, 1-2:30 p.m.
Location: In-Person
Cost: $200 per student
Shakespeare’s Apprentices: Middle School
Come and learn why Shakespeare’s plays do not have to be intimidating! Join us in this three-week immersion into all things “the Bard.” This camp allows students to gain more focused experience in a variety of theatre skills such as character work, stage combat, movement, and voice while collaborating as a company to produce the one act play, Romeo to Go, a play by Jonathan Rand. During the final week of camp, students will perform Romeo to Go on the Illinois Shakespeare Festival stage at the Ewing Cultural Center. Family and friends are invited to the final performance on Thursday, July 28. *Information on the final performance is listed below.
Who: Students entering 6th through 8th grades
When: July 11-29, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon
Location: In-Person
Cost: $300 per student
NEW! Shakespeare’s Musicians: Musical Theatre Camp
This musical theatre intensive allows students to hone and work on theatre skills, such as voice, physical character work, and musical theatre solo and partner scene work. Students will collaborate as a company to produce an original musical revue of songs from popular Broadway musicals. This revue will be directed by Illinois State University Professor Jimmy Chrismon. During the final week of camp, students will perform on the Illinois Shakespeare Festival stage at the Ewing Cultural Center. Family and friends are invited to the final performance on Thursday, July 28. *Information on the final performance is listed below.
Who: Students entering 6th through 12th grades
When: July 11-29, Monday-Friday, 1-4 p.m. (except date of final performance)
Location: In-Person
Cost: $300 per student (or $250 if the student is also enrolled in one of the morning camps. Students will be supervised during the lunch break.)
Shakespeare’s Players: High School
This theatre intensive allows high school students to hone and work on theatre skills such as Shakespeare’s text, physical character work, stage combat, movement, and voice. Participants will collaborate as a company to produce a one-act adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing to take place on the Illinois Shakespeare Festival stage at the Ewing Cultural Center. Family and friends are invited to the final performance on Thursday, July 28. *Information on the final performance is listed below.
Who: Students entering 9th through 12th grades
When: July 11-29, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon
Location: In-Person
Cost: $300 per student
Final Performance
Family and friends are invited to the final performance on Thursday, July 28, 2022 (rain date Friday, July 29, 2022) at Ewing Theatre in Bloomington.
8:30 a.m. Student performers should arrive at Ewing Theatre
9:15 a.m. The house opens for general admission seating
9:30 a.m. Shakespeare’s Apprentices perform Romeo to Go
10:20 a.m. Shakespeare’s Players perform an adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing
11:20 a.m. Shakespeare’s Musicians perform their musical theatre showcase
We encourage all families to attend all three of the morning’s performances.
Tickets will be available online at a later date. Family and friends can purchase $5 adult tickets or $3 youth tickets; each ticket grants the holder access to all three performances.
Please note: Shakespeare’s Musicians will not meet from 1-4 p.m. the afternoon of the performance, due to their participation in the morning showcase.
Adult Classes
NEW! Much Ado About Comedy
This workshop explores the conventions of Shakespearean comedy in Much Ado About Nothing. What did comedy mean in Shakespeare’s time? How does it relate to our modern definitions of comedy, including popular genres such as the rom com? By dissecting the play’s two love plots, we will see how Shakespeare pushes the genre of comedy in new directions, anticipating the tragicomedies of his late career. During the workshop, we will also have guest visits from cast and creative team members of the ISF production of Much Ado About Nothing. Instructor Dr. Kee-Yoon Nahm.
Dates: June 14-23, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 7-8:15 p.m.
Location: Via Zoom. Link will be sent after registration
Cost: $80 per person
Dr. Kee-Yoon Nahm is the Illinois Shakespeare Festival dramaturg and author of the “Beyond the Stage” article series in the ISF Friends Newsletter. He is an assistant professor of theatre studies at Illinois State University. In addition to working as a professional dramaturg, he is also a theatre translator. His work has been presented at Yale Repertory Theatre, Coalescence Theatre Project, the National Theatre Company of Korea, the National Dance Company of Korea, and the Seoul Performing Arts Festival, among others.
NEW! “my flesh, my blood”: Family Matters in King Lear
This workshop dives right into the prickly family feuds at the heart of one of Shakespeare’s darkest tragedies. Join us for interactive lectures on “family” in Shakespeare’s day, and find your voice in discussions on famous speeches and character conflicts. Class includes guest visits from members of the ISF production of King Lear. Instructor Dr. Tara Lyons.
Dates: June 28-July 7, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 7-8:15 p.m.
Location: Via Zoom. Link will be sent after registration
Cost: $80 per person
Dr. Tara Lyons is an associate professor of English at Illinois State University. She teaches courses on Shakespeare, early British literature, gender, and book history. She is currently writing a book on collections of plays in Shakespeare’s day and editing Henry the Sixth Part 2 for the Complete Works of Christopher Marlowe for Oxford University Press.
