Shakespeare Class

SHAKESPEARE CLASS

What is it? As a contemporary actor, chances are that you will be called upon to play a role from a Shakespearean play, this may be in an acrting class or an audition or a full-scale production. The fact is these classic works are still very popular today and are regularly performed in all major theatres as well as most community theatre repertoires. However the major differences in the language and context of these plays can mean that these Shakespearean roles are more difficult for the contemporary actor to pull off.

A Shakespeare class entails, in part, the study of texts that help the actor tackle the challenging dialogue in a way that helps them keep the material alive, actable and engaging- not like reading aloud from a textbook! Attention is paid to iambic pentameter (a rhythmic structure used in Shakespeare’s poetry and drama) as well as the melody and imagery of the writing all in an attempt to tell the story and to reach the essence of the Bard’s characters. A class will allow you to understand the work of Shakespeare in its social and historical context and will help the actor bring a realistic acting technique to the piece.

What the benefits are and for whom it is necessary

Knowing how to perform Shakespearean texts means that your options to work as an actor will be greatly increased. In addition to this, most actors find that an understanding of the classic texts enriches their acting ability overall and in a way that directly affects their acting in more contemporary pieces in theatre and film. Because Shakespeare’s plays expertly reveal the very complex nature of human relationships in the most dramatic and tragic of frameworks, acting in a Shakespearean play gives the actor an opportunity to play out a multitude of scenarios in the most heightened human states. Having a knowledge of Shakespearean plays and an ability to act the text also means that you have a ton of monologues at your disposal to use for auditions- and this is no small plus side. Many auditions will ask that you have at least one contemporary and one classic monologue to perform for them. Ultimately the actor who has been taking classes in Shakespearean acting will have a far easier time of selling their performance as Hamlet or Macbeth than the actor who has not. Shakespearean classes are popular and widely available which means whether you are a teen or an adult, a beginner or someone who is looking for an advanced class in classic texts- chances are you will have no problem finding a class for you. Check your local trade papers and the Internet to see what is out there.

It's important to make sure you choose your Shakespeare class well!

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What you’re doing is great Anthony. Whenever I read the things on your site, the interviews and even your book, I feel like if only everybody got to read this before they got started, they would be so much better off and everybody else (casting directors, agents, directors, etc.) would be so much better off too.
Personal Manager, Ingrid French

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Tony,
I want to say you changed my life. I want to be an actress so bad, but i began losing motivation when I couldn't figure out what to do. And then I found you! Thanks to you, I'm taking my first acting classes next month! Yippee!
Sara, Pasadena, CA

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Hi Tony
I would like to thank you for helping me with the monologue question I asked you. I went to the auditions for a Drama course and I am happy to say that I have been accepted as a first-year student at the Tshwane University of Technology. Please keep on sending me those newsletters and let me know where I can find books that will help me in my acting career. Thank you once more. Have a blessed day.
Sincerely
Edward Thaba -South Africa

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Dear Anthony,
Just wanted to thank you for bringing me in to [audition for the video], meet you and chat this Saturday. I was really excited to hear about your working on actingcareerstartup.com and even took a look at it today - it's awesome! You are very well-spoken, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and it shows through the work that you do! I hope our paths in the industry will cross again and really enjoyed meeting you. Thanks, again and best wishes with your very important work!
Warmly,
Gretchen, NY, NY

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Hey Tony, thanks for the info, yours by far is the most useful, I am 30 years old, and I myself always (secretly) wanted to be an actress, but I never knew where to begin, so thank you. You have given me hope!
Ana C., Tampa, FL