Main Line Private School Students Enjoy Live Performance of Julius Caesar

Jan. 2, 2010 - PRLog -- Many young people find Shakespeare difficult to read and even more difficult to understand. For students at Devon Preparatory School on Philadelphia’s Main Line, understanding Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar was made a little easier after experiencing a dynamic, live performance of the play presented by The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (PSF) in the school’s gym.  PSF is a non-profit professional theater company and the official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The 80 minute professionally directed show, complete with sets and costumes, included a company of professionally trained and experienced actors. This compelling performance about ambition and power demonstrated the richness and dimensionality of Shakespeare's characters and the beauty of his language. The characters appeared in contemporary costumes illuminating the story as universal, and not just historical.

After the show a discussion took place giving the students the opportunity to share reactions and insights with the actors and director.

In addition, prior to the performance, the actors conducted several workshops for members of Devon Prep’s sophomore class. Each student participated in two hands-on workshops including: Stage Combat: The Illusion of Violence; Imagery and Contrast; Wild and Whirling Words: The Invention of Language; and Word Weaponry: Argument and Ammunition.

“Having the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival on our on campus, performing Julius Caesar was a wonderful experience for our students,” said Ms. Carol Taggart, Devon Prep English Teacher. “The fact that the actors also conducted workshops was an exceptional opportunity for our tenth graders, as well”

The mission of PSF is to enrich, inspire, engage and entertain their audience through first-rate professional productions of classical and contemporary plays. They accomplish this through a core commitment to the works of Shakespeare and other master dramatists, and through an array of educational outreach and mentorship programs.

The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s appearance at Devon Prep was sponsored by The Valley Forge Music Fair Trust.

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Devon Prep is a private, Catholic, college preparatory school for young men in grades six to 12 conducted by the Piarist Fathers. Nearly 300 students from the five county Philadelphia area attend the school located in Devon, Chester County. For more information call 610-688-7337 or visit www.devonprep.com.