Experiencing Shakespeare in The Uppers (6th-8th)

On Friday, March 1st, my Shakespeare Elective class took a field trip out to Lenox to see a production of Midsummer Night’s Dream at Shakespeare and Company. This show is part of their Northeast Regional Tour and is a student-friendly 90-minute version of the play. 

We hopped in cars (thank you Micheal and Rachel for driving and accompanying us!) and drove all the way to Lenox to the home of Shakespeare and Company, We got a quick movement break in, exploring some of the outdoor stages and fields that they use during their summer season. We were greeted at the door and shown to our seats

The lights went down and we were treated to an absolutely fantastic performance of the play. We marveled at how only 7 actors could play all 19 parts! The costumes really helped distinguish who was who. We laughed, gasped and applauded as the Athenian lovers, the fairies and the “mechanicals” got lost, fell in and out of love, chased each other and were bewitched in the magical forest. 

After the show, the actors came on stage to lead a “talk back”. They asked the audience some thought provoking questions, and as expected, Center Schoolers had a lot to say. When the topic was about laughing at the pain of others, Gus said “If we didn’t find the pain of others funny, no one would have been laughing at this play!” TRUE! And when they asked us whether we thought magical creatures were real, Owen asked back “If magical creatures exist in your mind, then aren't’ they sort of real? We can make them real in our minds.” YES!

I am so thankful that we had the opportunity to see Shakespeare performed live by such a skillful and passionate group of actors. The kids thoroughly enjoyed the show and were energized by the production. 

There is a sensory friendly production next Saturday (March 16th, 2024) if you are interested in attending!