Play Readings: Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors

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.