Last Week!

Last night, a bunch of us (Ellie, Arley & Marlas, the Carolina Boys-Mike D, Lee, and Charles, and Sean, Kristin, and Me, and then Dan & Kristen) went over to Shanna and Kyle's for a big Italian fiesta. They have a new place that looks out over Magen's bay and Tortola. Kristin, Shanna's friend who just arrived on island, wants to throw me a going away party before I leave.

It's sad to think of leaving all these great people behind, but I know I'll be back soon (April 30-May 8) for the Shakespeare Festival.

Speaking of, I went to a great little elementary school on the waterfront last week and did a Shakespeare workshop with 30 honor students, 4th-6th grade. They were so great! One girl, a sixth grader, approached me confidently and said, "Hi, I'm Jenay, I'm the president. Welcome to our school." Then she shook my hand and turned to the class and shouted, "Alright, let's begin! This is Betsy, or Ms. Summers, from Pistarckle Theater.... What's her name?" And they all responded "Betsy!" It was adorable.

The way I structure most workshops is begin by asking how many students have seen theater. Most of these kids had seen things in New York or at Disney World: huge productions like "The Lion King," or "Aida." Then I ask what they know about Shakespeare's plays. They all know Romeo and Juliet. Then they totally surprised me with the information they knew about William Shakespeare. They knew where he lived, and who he worked for, which is great for 4th-6th graders.

Then I ask them how they feel about Shakespeare's language. They all say that it's scary and incomprehensible. And then I ask, "well, you know that famous balcony scene with Romeo and Juliet? What's the line, Romeo, Romeo..."

And most of them knew the "wherefore art thou Romeo." And we talk about what she means, and then I gave them the whole line:
"Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse they name,
Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet."

Then I get them on their feet and act out the witches' scene from Macbeth: "Double double, toil and trouble..." with students being "witch-like" repeating that line while walking in a circle. When the others make eerie sound effects of a scary forest, the scene is really cool.

The festival is quickly picking up momentum, woohoo!