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Play Readings: Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors

Tackle the farce Comedy of Errors from an actor's point-of-view in this cold reading class for fans of William Shakespeare.
Drea Lee
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(144)
Class

What's included

3 live meetings
3 in-class hours
Homework
No work is required outside of class.
Assessment
This class requires active participation. Students will be assessed on their willingness to explore the language and discuss the theatrical possibilities of the play.

Class Experience

Calling all actors and Shakespeare enthusiasts! Let’s read Shakespeare with theatrical flair and bring it to life. This live read-through of Comedy of Errors will help you get familiar with his work and grow your cold reading skills. This is the shortest of all of Shakespeare’s plays, and will only take three weeks to read. 

Minimum Enrollment: This class requires a minimum of 3 students to ensure there are enough readers to cover all roles. 

Age Requirement: This class is reserved for teens only. Younger students with experience are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please message me before registering if you are under 13. 

What we will do:
+ This class will approach readings like a theatre class, focusing on cold reading skills. 
+ We will read the play from start to finish, rotating through various roles in each scene. 
+ All participants must come to class prepared to read a character (or two, or three depending on the assigned scene(s) and size of the class). This is a theatre class after all!
+ We will have a brief check-in at the beginning of class, assign roles, and then dive right in. 

Weekly Breakdown: 
Below is an estimate of what parts of the play we will read each week. Pacing will be based on the actors present and the discussions we have about the play. I will provide an update on our reading schedule in the classroom each week as we go along. 

Weekly Reading Schedule
This is subject to change as the needs and pacing of each group of students vary. 
Week 1: Act 1, Scene 1 through Act 2, Scene 2
Week 2: Act 3, Scene 1 through Act 4, Scene 2
Week 3: Act 4, Scene 3 through Act 5, Scene 1

Experience Level: Students attending should have a high school reading level and an interest in Shakespeare and/or acting. Since this is focused on cold reading, it is appropriate for all skill levels and experience. Students excited to dive in, read, and listen will enjoy this class the most. 

Expectations: I require students to keep their cameras and mics on during the duration of the class. Students should be in a quiet environment during the duration of the class as a courtesy to all readers present. 

Preparation: I recommend reading a summary of the play and familiarizing yourself with the main characters. I will read a summary of each scene before we dive in. Since this is a cold reading class you do not have to read the play beforehand.

Who this class is for: This class is for teens with some experience and/or a love of Shakespeare. Inexperienced students and non-actors are welcome to join if they have a strong interest. This class requires the ability to be flexible, concentrate, and use active listening.
Learning Goals
My hope is that every student that takes this class will leave more comfortable with Shakespeare’s language, with better cold reading skills, and with a desire to experience more of Shakespeare’s work.
learning goal

Other Details

Parental Guidance
This play features some bawdy humor and a character who is a courtesan. When dealing with problematic aspects of Shakespeare’s plays, I like to discuss the historical context as well as talk about ways modern performers and acting companies are grappling with and challenging these concepts in contemporary productions. We will discuss how we can approach the texts as actors of our time, how to make choices that reflect our values, and discuss ways a contemporary company might adapt the play for a modern audience.
Supply List
I highly recommend headphones or earbuds with a mic for this class. A link to the script will be available in the classroom before our first read-through. If students would prefer a hard copy we will be reading from the Folger version.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined June, 2018
5.0
144reviews
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Master's Degree in Education from Azusa Pacific University
Bachelor's Degree in English from California State University San Marcos
I have extensive experience performing and directing Shakespeare plays. I have directed productions with mixed groups of middle school and high school students ages 12 and up and it is always great fun. I think that theatrical readings are a great way for students to explore a variety of roles in a pressure-free environment. 

Reviews

Live Group Class
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$39

for 3 classes
1x per week, 3 weeks
60 min

Completed by 9 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-18
4-8 learners per class

This class is no longer offered
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