In this class, we will examine Shakespeare’s plays through the lenses of language, genre, character, and drama. Students will gain familiarity with Shakespeare’s particular use of language (prose/verse) with an eye toward understanding the development of character and the building of dramatic tension. We will use acting tools of objectives and actions to understand character and scene dynamics. In addition to grasping Shakespeare on the page, we will watch recordings of performances on stage and on film, approaching performance as interpretation. Students will gain an understanding of a director’s vision, an actor’s approach to characterization, and design choices (sound, set, costume) as elements of production and interpretation. This class is open to students who have had experience with Shakespeare as well as those who are new to Shakespeare. A willingness to engage deeply with the reading and the performances is all that is required.

Students will watch performances in addition to the reading and can expect collaborative work via Zoom for scene analyses–both on the page and on the stage. Online tutorials will help with context and comprehension as needed, and face-to-face sessions may include visits with actors, attending a performance, as well as student-directed performances.

Primary plays will most likely include King Lear, Much Ado about Nothing, and Julius Caesar.

About the Instructor

Cathleen Sheehan – Urban School
The English Department Chair since 2020, Cathleen Sheehan has been a teacher at the Urban School since 1995 where she has taught and designed a variety of classes, including Shakespeare and Advanced Shakespeare. (Her party trick is relating any subject to Shakespeare.) Cathleen has been a theater professional for the better part of twenty years, working as a guest lecturer and writer for Shakespeare Santa Cruz as well as doing seasonal work primarily in dramaturgy with The Marin Shakespeare Company and The California Shakespeare Theater. In addition to helping students with college auditions, she has coached professional actors on audition monologues and lead text workshops with acting interns. Cathleen holds AB and MA degrees in English Literature from Stanford University and did post-graduate work in Victorian Literature at Oxford University.