Words, Words, Words: Elevating Shakespeare from the page to the stage

Presented by Scott Jackson

Teaching students (of any age) the works of William Shakespeare can prove a difficult venture, especially when approaching his plays as works of literature as opposed to playscripts. In this workshop series we will explore how direct engagement with these texts provides the framework for a deeper engagement with the worlds of Shakespeare—for both you and your students. Together we will lift Shakespeare’s words and characters off the page in an informal exploration of the plays in performance. Participants will learn how actors use scene analysis to approach these texts, explore performance techniques that give us the ability to tell the story beyond the written word, study resources that enhance your in-class work, and discover the power of ensemble in breathing life into some of the world’s greatest plays. No prior acting experience is required.

About Scott Jackson

Scott Jackson has served as the Mary Irene Ryan Family Executive Director of Shakespeare at Notre Dame since the position was created in 2007, providing oversight for the many Shakespeare-related programs housed at the University of Notre Dame with a particular focus on engaging our local community through the works of William Shakespeare. Previously he served as executive director for the Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre (FST) in Fairbanks, Alaska. At FST he produced and performed in outdoor Shakespeare productions staged under the midnight sun at venues throughout Alaska and around the globe (most notably at the VIII World Shakespeare Congress in Brisbane, Australia, and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland). From 2000–2003, Scott was the business and legal affairs coordinator for Brighter Pictures, Ltd (now a part of Endemol Shine UK), one of the United Kingdom’s most successful independent television and film production companies. He holds a dual BA in theater and history from Indiana University Bloomington, as well as intensive study in acting at the London Centre for Theatre Studies. He also holds a Master of Fine Arts in Actor Training and Coaching from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (University of London) and recently certified as a Kundalini yoga teacher with acclaimed practitioner Maya Fiennes. He has produced, directed, and performed in more than 170 productions. In 2022 he was the recipient of the Shakespeare Publics award, presented annually by the Shakespeare Association of America.