The resources provided gives additional insight into the world of playwriting. There is a guide to playwriting as well as commentary from real people in the field.
“No Hablo Español” explores the conflicted cultural identity of a Latina high school student who can’t speak Spanish. Playwright Rosa Estevez explains why parents born in a Spanish-speaking country might prefer English for their children. People behind the scenes describe the play’s fresh pathways for discussing cultural identity, the importance of authenticity and language, and the role of the dramaturg in advocating for the playwright. The play was part of the New Voices Young Playwrights Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville.
Learn how the National Theater conceived a new version of the iconic Balcony Scene in this behind-the-scenes mini-documentary about the making of Great Performances: Romeo and Juliet. During the ongoing shutdown of London due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Theater created a compelling hybrid of theater and film that brings an exciting contemporary perspective to the play.
“Shakespeare’s potential for reinvention is endless,” said director Simon Godwin. “Over 17 days of filming, the company was united by a sense of shared exploration. As well as being given intimate access to the thoughts and feelings of characters, we were able to bring to life remarkable, forgotten spaces at the National Theatre. Desire, dreams and destiny came together to make Romeo & Juliet sing in an entirely new way.”
Andrew Branca, a high school student from Central Academy of Technology and Arts, in North Carolina talks about how he was inspired to write Boal after attending a summer theater workshop on Brazilian theater activist Augusto Boal. Cast members discuss what it was like to collaborate on the playwriting process and why they felt it was important to start a serious discussion on racism and Islamophobia.
Sensitive: This resource contains material that may be sensitive for some students. Teachers should exercise discretion in evaluating whether this resource is suitable for their class.
Diversity in theatre has come a long way, and it has a long way to go. This industry has been dominated for far too long by one sector of the population and other stories have not been told. This project encourages the students to tell their stories from their varied and unique backgrounds and share that with their classmates and community. Playwriting is a unique way to tell a story, and this is an avenue that many may not have considered. This project will broaden the scope of the students view on theatre and encourage them to step up and make their voice heard.
About the Arts, Care & Connection Lesson Collection: Arts for Learning Northwest collaborated with Oregon teaching artists on this collection of arts integration modules designed for K-5 students, with integrated social emotional learning content in the areas of dance, visual arts, theater, and music.
Prom night brings an intense moment of connection for two teens, unleashing a flood of texts and social media posts. Things start to move rapidly. How much does this relationship really mean? “Friday,” written by Hannah Schmidt of Fern Creek High School in Louisville, considers the role of electronic communication in the confusion of teen romance. It was among the seven short plays produced by the 2017 New Voices Young Playwrights Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville.
Sensitive: This resource contains material that may be sensitive for some students. Teachers should exercise discretion in evaluating whether this resource is suitable for their class.
Let the power of imagination and inference serve as a ńtime machineî to bring Benjamin Franklin into the classroom! History and science come to life in a dialogue with Franklin the inventor, developed through lesson activities that incorporate research, imagination, writing, visual arts, and drama.
Carmen must give a presentation in her Spanish 3 class for Hispanic Heritage Month, but she doesn’t speak Spanish. Is she less of a Latina, as some girls think? “No Hablo Español,” written by Rosa Estevez of Fairdale High School in Louisville, explores how language and cultural perceptions affect one’s sense of identity. It was among the seven short plays produced by the 2017 New Voices Young Playwrights Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville.
Watch cast members from the National Theater's production of Romeo and Juliet attempt to summarize the play in 60-seconds! Use this video as a challenge to students to create their own version that covers the plot of the play in one minute.
Test your ability to identify if a line is from Shakespeare or Taylor Swift in this video from the National Theater. Cast members from Great Performances: Romeo and Juliet are presented with quotes and have to decide whether they are from the bard of today or the past! Support materials ask students to extend the game by coming up with their own version using a different songwriter.
Explore how masculinity is portrayed in a modern stylized version of Shakespeare's iconic play in this video from Great Performances: Romeo and Juliet. What does it mean to be a "man?" How is our understanding of masculinity reflected in the interplay of Shakespeare's words and the way in which this production interprets the text? Support materials ask students to analyze the fight scene in Act I of the play and whether Romeo accepts or rejects the ideas about masculinity introduced in that opening scene.
Explore how production choices can contribute to characterization and provide a deeper understanding of how that character sees the world in this video from Great Performances: Romeo and Juliet. The National Theater's production creates a modern stripped-down version of the play that utilizes both staged theater and film techniques to tell the story of the iconic star-crossed lovers. Students will analyze these techniques and how they help reveal the essence of Juliet's character.
High school students Aiden Phillips and Hannah Schmidt describe what they learned about playwriting through their involvement in the New Voices Young Playwrights Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Teaching artist Keith McGill explains how he coaches young writers in the playwriting process.