Shakespeare Co. hosts camps at U of M

Tennessee Shakespeare Company will offer two unique Shakespeare Training Camps this June, held for the first time on the University of Memphis campus.

TSC’s Sh a ke s pe a r e Training Camps are open to students in grades 6-12. “The Play’s The Thing” camp, June 8-12, explores Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” and is ideal for participants with little or no theater experience. Cost per participant is $250.

The t wo-week ca mp, “Young Players Training I ntensive ,” Ju ne 1 5 -26 , is ideal for participants with a little more theater experience. Cost per participant is $500. Lunches are available for an additional charge.

Both camps run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday. The final scene-sharings for each camp will be played on the main stage in the theater building. Camp sessions will be held in the Fine Arts Building at the U of M.

These camps offer participants a conservatory setting and the opportunity to train with several of TSC’s professional actors and teachers. TSC’s teachers will introduce a variety of skills and disciplines from which participants may take personal ownership of Shakespeare’s text.

As a specia l bonus, campers will get to see t heir teachers i n TSC’s professional production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” playing at the U of M in June.

“For children new to Shakespeare, you couldn’t ask for a better introduction,” said education director, Stephanie Shine. “Meeting these plays as a player of Shakespeare makes them immediate, accessible, and most of all, fun. After the TSC camp experience, a student will eagerly greet Shakespeare like a good friend when they meet him again in a traditional classroom.”