Shakespeare’s Kids

Grade levels

5-7; 8th grade by invitation only

Description

Shakespeare’s Kids is a drama class during which we cast, practice and present a full length play to our audience. Typically we give 4-6 performances by the end of Project SEEK. Our play this year has not yet been determined, but I guarantee it will be fun and engaging for both you and our audience!

The plan is to have a read-through of the script AND auditions on the first day of class. When contemplating auditions, students should be aware of and practice the following:

Preparedness (how familiar the actor is with his/her desired part and whether or not the part is well-rehearsed)
Stage Presence (Shows confidence, uses appropriate facial expression and body language and gestures, can engage an audience)
Quality (how much enthusiasm the actor puts into his/her desired part and into the audition)

We HOPE you plan on joining Shakespeare’s Kids this year! We will be doing a different play than last year, so students who were in Shakespeare’s Kids last year may take this class again!

Instructor

Destiny Pierce: I was a student in the Shakespeare’s Kids class 14 years ago and have been involved with this class every year since. I enjoy watching the plays each year as well as watching the students make new friends, learn new theatre games, and watching the play improve from the first week of class until the final performances!

Karlajean Becvar: Mrs. Becvar has worked in the Hinckley-Finlayson School District for 39 years. She is an English teacher and has taught 7th grade English, Advanced English 10, creative writing, acting, speech, AP English Language and Composition, and College in the Schools (CITS) classes. She completed her Masters in Creative Writing in 2020. Also, she has been an instructor for Project SEEK for 20+ years. She enjoys spending time with her husband, her furred/feathered kids, her extended family, and her human friends too!

Extended Day Plan

Work on our play that we’ll perform during open house!

Ms. Pierce

Mrs. Becvar

Class Updates

6/5/24--Good morning, Shakespeare's Kids! As promised, here is a link to the script we will be using this year: The Mysterious Mishap of Mrs. Muhlrooney.

Please be sure to look over the script before Tuesday, June 11th so you are familiar with the story. We will be having try-outs after snack break on TUESDAY, June 11th.

Script

NEW Shakespeare's Kids Parent/Guardian Letter 2024

6/7/24

Good morning, Shakespeare's Kids! Since Wednesday, we have had three more students added to our class! This is SUPER exciting! Therefore, some changes will need to be made to the script. HOWEVER, for your auditions on TUESDAY, June 11th, use the script that is on this website or that was sent to you in the email today, FRIDAY, June 7th.

You will be given the new, revised script with additions on WEDNESDAY, June 12th.

We are SO EXCITED to see you on the 11th!! PLEASE, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us: kjbecvar@isd2165.org or dpierce97@yahoo.com.

6/10/24

Good morning! Quick UPDATE. I mistakenly wrote some dates. Our EXTENDED day IS TUESDAY June 18th, 2024 and our PARENTS' NIGHT is WEDNESDAY, June 26th.

Please note, I am so used to the way SEEK was run before, it is still an adjustment getting used to the new schedule. My apologies.

~Karlajean Becvar

6/13/24

Good Morning, Parents! 🎭

Just an update on what Shakespeare's Kids has been doing these first three days of class:

We have been

taking time getting to know each other
Memorizing lines
Blocking out stage movements

We would like students to have the 1st Act of the Play memorized by TUESDAY, June 18th. HOWEVER, if a student is uncomfortable or unsure whether he or she can memorize all the lines, we NEVER force the student to memorize. We work around it in a way that will be comfortable for the student as well as the rest of the class and will not set the student apart. This has probably happened twice in 25+ years of teaching this class, but it can happen. Destiny and I want this acting experience to be fun, exciting, and memorable, not wrought with anxiety and fear of failure.

Also, some reminders:

Monday we will be taking pictures for our "Actors' Wall" outside our room. Please have your child wear something that will show up well on pictures.
Please be sure that if you pick up your child in North Branch that you are there at noon. Our program finishes at noon.
Next Tuesday, June 18th is our extended day. Therefore, our ending time is 2:30 pm and parents who pick up their children can do so at that time. Buses will leave North Branch at that time as well.
The week of Parents' Night is June 24th-27th. We will giving multiple performances of our play during that week so if you are not able to make Parents' Night, you will have other opportunities to do so. The play lasts roughly an hour.

Wednesday, June 26th 9:00 am (in the choir room of NBAMS (North Branch Middle School)
Wednesday, June 26th 10:45 am (in the choir room of NBAMS--North Branch Area Middle School)
Wednesday, June 26th OPEN HOUSE 5:05 pm (in the choir room of NBAMS--North Branch Area Area Middle School)
Wednesday, June 26th OPEN HOUSE 6:05 pm (in the choir room of NBAMS--North Branch Area Area Middle School)
Thursday, June 27th 9:00 am (in the choir room of NBAMS--North Branch Area Area Middle School)

As always, please contact me (kjbecvar@isd2165.org) or Destiny (dpierce97@yahoo.com) with any questions. Thank you!

6/14/24 UPDATE

Good morning, Parents!!

A whole "week" of Shakespeare's Kids already gone!! Wow. We are so proud of our actors. While blocking and running lines yesterday, it was amazing to see how much Shakespeare's Kids remembered where they were supposed to be on stage and to face forward, towards the audience.

6/18/24 Update

Good morning, Parents! 🎭

Today is our extended day and we are staying in North Branch. Our school day is extended to 2:30 pm. Students will be having Subway for lunch and a full day of practice, getting sets ready, as well as costumes. They will also be filling out their program surveys!

Our play is progressing beautifully. Many students have all their lines memorized! We are currently working on our entrances and exits as well as actions within each scene.

6/24/24 UPDATE

WOW! It's the last week of Project SEEK! Hard to believe!! It seems we just started class! We are looking forward to our performances this week. Just a reminder:

The week of Parents' Night is June 24th-27th. We will giving multiple performances of our play during that week so if you are not able to make Parents' Night, you will have other opportunities to do so. The play lasts roughly an hour.

Wednesday, June 26th 9:00 am (in the choir room of NBAMS (North Branch Middle School)
Wednesday, June 26th 10:45 am (in the choir room of NBAMS--North Branch Area Middle School)
Wednesday, June 26th OPEN HOUSE 5:05 pm (in the choir room of NBAMS--North Branch Area Area Middle School)
Wednesday, June 26th OPEN HOUSE 6:05 pm (in the choir room of NBAMS--North Branch Area Area Middle School)
Thursday, June 27th 9:00 am (in the choir room of NBAMS--North Branch Area Area Middle School)

6/26/24

Good morning! It is finally here! Parents' Night and our performances!!

Please make sure that your son or daughter is at North Branch Area Middle School no later than 4:45 tonight. We give two performances this evening and plan to promptly start at 5:05 pm. and 6:05 pm.

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