Clairbourn’s school community was treated to an unforgettable production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night performed by Clairbourn 6th-8th grade students in early March. This crowd-pleasing show took place in an Old Globe Theater setting, constructed in the school’s gymnasium. Over three consecutive show dates, the production featured a variety of humorous antics, stage fighting, great costumes, original music and stand-out performances. It is noteworthy that this unabridged, unedited production was offered by young people between the ages of eleven and fourteen.
The Roaring Twenties setting dazzled the audience with its costuming and jazzy tunes. Singing, live student accompaniment, dancing and action sequences—for instance, the comic boxing match—appealed to first grade students on up to adults. The young students who attended sat in the “groundlings” section where they were right on top of the action and thrills.
Clairbourn’s English teacher Janet Taylor provides an academic foundation for the production. Well before auditions occur, students learn the storyline and character relationships in English classes, and work through the meaning of unfamiliar words and terms. By the time the student-actors face their first show date, they have a good understanding of their lines (including some elements of rhetorical structure), and they have the tools to bring their performances to life with the humor and wit required of a Shakespearean comedy.
Under the creative and inspired direction of Clairbourn School’s drama teachers Paul and Cara Barker, students in this year’s Shakespeare play elective learned about stagecraft, key elements of acting and the art of showmanship. Teacher Cara Barker explains, “It is also noteworthy that this play, while not a musical, showcased multiple musical talents. Students were playing and singing 1920s-style songs that I adapted or wrote for the show. The students did not have microphones, so they learned to project their voices in true musical-theater style.”
With so much going on in these multi-faceted learning activities, the transformational effects on the participating students is profound. Clairbourn staff, faculty, parents and friends are continuously impressed with how these new student-actors gain self-confidence, develop creative expression, and wow an audience with their budding talents.
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