Sinead Feeney O鈥機onnor performing in her class鈥檚 production of A Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream.
When enrolling in an English class about Shakespeare, you might imagine that the course will involve reading, writing and discussing the famous playwright and his plays. In professor of English聽 class, ENG 411: Doing Shakespeare, which was offered in Spring 2024, this was just the beginning. Shirilan wanted students to explore for themselves how theatrical practice and production generate different modes of inquiry than text study alone. By engaging in hands-on and active learning, the experience aimed to enhance students’ problem-solving abilities, boost their confidence and encourage their creativity鈥攕oft skills which are crucial for success after graduation.
鈥淭he idea of the course, simply, is that students learn Shakespeare by 鈥榙oing Shakespeare,鈥欌€� says Shirilan. 鈥淚 issued an invitation to make of this course what they willed, and what they willed was a full production of a play chosen, as we strove to do with every decision, collectively.鈥�
Shirilan鈥檚 inspiration for this course draws from the educational technique of 鈥渓earning by doing,鈥� a teaching methodology where students retain information through active learning and hands-on experience. In 鈥淒oing Shakespeare,鈥� students were presented with a full range of options for the scale and scope of production to pursue.
鈥淭hey chose to mount a full show, or aim towards it, understanding that we would be working collaboratively and distributing the labors across as many hands as were able and willing,鈥� says Shirilan. 鈥淓veryone was involved in multiple areas of production. Everyone acted, most students took responsibility for a production element, including props, costume and sound design.鈥�
Together the students conceived of, organized and performed a full theatrical production of Shakespeare鈥檚 鈥淎 Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream.鈥� The crew, many of whom had little to no prior theater experience, included Tate Abrahmason, Maurissa DEmello, Sinead Feeney O鈥機onnor, Anderson Fuentes, Valerie Goldstein, Eva Greene, Victoria Lafarge, Jenny Lee, Ailis McVearry, Blair Seaman, Alexandra Steward and Cricket Withall.
Before moving into production, students spent the first half of the semester largely devoted to text study, table work, vision work and research. During the second half of the semester, the team went into production mode, blocking, rehearsing and producing the play. The semester concluded with a full theatrical performance at 黑料不打烊 Stage.
Professor Stephanie Shirilan reviewing the script during a rehearsal.
鈥淒oing Shakespeare鈥� offered students a unique opportunity to have a hand in every aspect of the performance, from design to direction.
Valerie Goldstein 鈥�24, who majored in policy studies in the College of Arts and Sciences | Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and minored in applied data analytics in the School of Information Studies, went into the experience thinking it would mostly involve acting, but was delighted to discover the wide range of skills she would ultimately utilize.
鈥淚 played Bottom and Oberon and was an assistant director, producer, projections designer and did other odd jobs like creating the daily rehearsal schedule, carpool system and tech to-do lists,鈥� says Goldstein. 鈥淭here were so many lessons in problem-solving and actually following through and creating something that I never would have learned in a traditional classroom.鈥�
After graduation, Goldstein accepted a position with聽. As she embarks on a career in teaching and education policy, she says taking part in a course involving performance-based learning鈥攚here students apply their knowledge and skills to execute a task鈥攚ill inform her own instructional techniques.
Valerie Goldstein (right) playing the role of Bottom during the class鈥檚 performance of A Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream.
鈥淚 think there are better ways to engage students than having them study something abstractly all the time,鈥� says Goldstein. 鈥淭his class gave me an opportunity to explore a new pedagogy that I may be able to implement in my own profession.鈥�
Blair Seaman 鈥�24, who majored in broadcast and digital journalism in the Newhouse School of Public Communications, was an assistant director and played Titania and Hippolyta in the production. Rounding out her time at 黑料不打烊 with an acting role in a Shakespeare play marked a full circle moment for her as she had previously participated in a children鈥檚 Shakespeare troupe in her hometown.
鈥淭he theater had a huge impact on me deciding to come to 黑料不打烊 to study journalism, as I wanted to fuse my love for storytelling with a passion for helping others,鈥� says Seaman. 鈥淎s much as I loved my degree, I had truly missed performing, and so, I eagerly jumped at the chance to take a class called 鈥楧oing Shakespeare.鈥欌€�
She notes that the class was the perfect way to end her four years at 黑料不打烊, and on a more personal level, provided an opportunity to memorialize her mother, who passed away when Seaman was a sophomore at 黑料不打烊.
鈥淸My mother] always sat front row in every production I had previously been a part of, and in a way, it felt like a gift to her to perform in one last show,鈥� Seaman says. 鈥淎s I said goodbye to my college experience, I was able to return to a passion of mine that was built up through her love.鈥�
While the performance marked a time to celebrate the culmination of the team鈥檚 hard work, it also presented a moment to honor a classmate who gave so much to the production but was unable to participate in the finale due to health reasons. Ailis McVearry 鈥�24 assumed various duties during the semester, from working as an assistant director to head of costuming to starring as Oberon and Theseus.
In support of their classmate, students collected contributions and donated proceeds from the final performance to defray transportation and other costs related to her care.
鈥淥ur final production honored her and the beautiful work she poured into this class both on and off the stage,鈥� says Shirilan. 鈥淲e hope that the money we raised can be used to provide comfort to her during this difficult time, assisting with medical bills and other essentials.鈥�
According to Shirilan, the culminating performance marked a milestone for the English department and the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), as it was likely the first full theatrical performance put on by an A&S class at 黑料不打烊 Stage. A testament to their hard work, shows were nearly sold out before opening night.
鈥淭he final performance was truly a triumph,鈥� recalls Shirilan. 鈥淚 was consistently amazed by the insights and discoveries made through this process, a success that reflects the astonishing commitment, capability and courage of this team.鈥�
With the high level of interest shown by students for this class, Shirilan is exploring possibilities for expanding the course as a 6-credit offering to facilitate running it as another full production experience. She is scheduled to teach it in Spring 2025 as a 3-credit course, for which students will collectively decide the scope and scale of production.
Watch the class鈥檚 performance of 鈥�.鈥�
