Goals of the Shakespeare Programme

Overall Program Goals

• Provide students with an academically challenging program abroad based upon the study of theatre and English.
• Integrate students from a number of colleges while studying abroad.
• Provide strong pre-professional training by drawing upon the professional British theatre community for studio course faculty.
• Provide enrichment activities by offering theatre going, field trips, guest speakers and master classes.
• Strengthen our students' exposure to good theatre, strong theatre training, and a process of internationalization.

Learning Goals

Students participating in the Shakespeare Programme will:

• learn of the work and life of William Shakespeare through classroom study, assigned and supplementary reading, field trips to the New Globe and the Shakespeare Trust Properties, playgoing and critical reviews.
• improve writing skills through a series of required papers submitted in a number of courses.
• improve oral communication skills through class participation with a new cohort of students.
• gain new perspectives on the fields of theatre and English literature by taking classes with an excellent faculty drawn from British colleges and universities and professionals from the London stage.
• develop intercultural competencies and communication skills by learning to deal with individuals from a culture and community other than their own at home and at their home schools.
• develop and hone critical skills through weekly critiques of theatre productions led by a prominent critic.
• learn about the history of theatre and its relationship to cultural issues from the 18th century through today (Theatre & Culture option).
• improve acting skills in conservatory style classes taught by working professional British actors (Acting options).
• advance their college and major requirements through carefully selected courses in both theatre and English literature.

Experiencial and Professional Goals

Students participating in the Shakespeare Programme will:

• be immersed in the cultural environment of London and Stratford-upon-Avon through visits to museums, libraries, concerts, the Shakespeare Trust Properties, etc.
• be exposed to the rich tradition of British professional theatre by regularly attending the theatre productions, studying with working theatre professionals, attending master classes offered by leading British actors, and participating in workshops with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
• clarify personal, educational, and career goals through advanced training and an increased awareness of the profession of theatre as practiced in different cultural contexts.
• discover the perspectives of others and reflect upon their own assumptions and values while abroad by being exposed to new knowledge, concepts and experiences.
• grow through living in a learning community by rooming, studying and traveling with classmates from Skidmore and a number of other colleges.
• become aware of cultural differences through opportunities to travel and explore the UK, Ireland, and Continental Europe during breaks.
• improve their professional résumés with conservatory style training and master classes while establishing professional contacts for developing future career goals.
• learn to adapt in a different environment and develop confidence and self-reliance by living cooperatively in shared flats, preparing meals, exploring a major metropolitan center, and acting responsibly while abroad.
• gain a deeper understanding of themselves as both American and global citizens by comparing and contrasting customs, values and traditions in the UK.