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The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival

Teens Invited to Become Upstart Crows

San Francisco Shakespeare Festival logoThe San Francisco Shakespeare Festival is inviting teenagers 12–18 to "experience the joy of Shakespeare" through a series of programs collectively called the Upstart Crows.

For spring Upstart Crows Shakespeare Camps in San Francisco and Palo Alto, teens can work with two SF Shakes Resident Artists, Emily Jordan and Phil Lowery, to stage Shakespeare's comedy As You Like It.
Jordan, who has appeared in four SF Shakes's Free Shakespeare in the Park productions, will be directing the San Francisco session, Jan. 25–April 5 at the Unitarian Universalists of San Francisco, 1187 Franklin St., San Francisco. Sessions are 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Saturdays; beginning March 28, Friday rehearsals will be from 5–8 p.m. Performances will be Saturday at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Directing the Palo Alto session is Phil Lowery, a dialogue coach and educator who played the title role in the Shakespeare on Tour production of Macbeth. The spring session in Palo Alto will be Feb. 15–Apr 26 at First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto. Sessions are 10 a.m–3 p.m. on Saturdays plus a rehearsal on Friday, April 25, 5–9 p.m. Performance will be April 26 at 3 p.m.

Scripts, costumes and materials for the shows are all included in the fee of $500 for the entire session. Enroll by phone at 415-558-0888; register online at https://sfshakes.wufoo.com/forms/upstart-crows-fallspring-registration/; or download a PDF of the registration form at http://sfshakes.org/pdf/BASC/registration_UC_S14_SF.pdf.

SF Shakes has also opened enrollment to its 2014 Shakespeare Camps. Over the course of two weeks, professional theater artists provide teens training in advanced acting techniques such as text analysis, physicalizing characters, and vocal projection. At the end of the camp, teens perform a 45-minute version of Much Ado About Nothing with professional costumes and props.

The camps meet weekdays 9 a.m–3 p.m. in six communities:

Optional aftercare available until 5:30 p.m. Enroll online, by phone (415-558-0888) or fax (415-865-4433) or mail the registration form, which you can download at http://sfshakes.org/pdf/BASC/camp_registration.pdf. Scripts, materials and supplies for the performance are all included in the camp fee: $489 for both weeks or $629 with aftercare.

The Advanced Shakespeare Workshop allows advanced students to audition for a two- or four-week intensive course in classical acting. The courses run from July 14–Aug. 8, Monday through Friday 9 a.m.–3 p.m. John Fletcher, Shakespeare's successor as chief playwright for the King's Men, wrote a sequel to The Taming of the Shrew called The Woman's Prize, or The Tamer Tamed. The play was first performed in 1607 by the Children of the Queen's Revels, an all-teen actor company, so it's the perfect fit for SF Shakes's own ASW teens. The Tamer Tamed will be performed in a new adaptation by Artistic Director Rebecca J. Ennals.

Auditions will be May 4, 1–4 p.m. E-mail cholvick-thomas@sfshakes.org or call 415-865-4423 to schedule an audition, which will be conducted at the Unitarian Universalists of San Francisco, 1187 Franklin St., San Francisco. This conservatory-style program will include intensive voice, movement, text, stage combat, mask, and monologue and scene work in focused one-on-one instruction by conservatory and college-level instructors. Final performances will be attended by the Festival's casting director.

SF Shakes also provides an internship program for teens and young adults (ages 15–22) who want to further their professional development as theatre artists. Interns in 2014 will be an integral part of the summer staff, undertaking several important positions onstage and off. Education Interns will assist in Shakespeare Camps all over the Bay Area, gaining teaching experience and further fluency in Shakespeare's work. Performance Interns will play the roles of Petruchio's servants in the mainstage production of The Taming of the Shrew. Front-of-house Interns will gain valuable customer service skills as well as perform a Green Show on the history of Shakespeare and The Shrew. Stage Management and Production Interns will play crucial roles in the outdoor performances by assisting backstage, hanging lights, setting up sound equipment, and keeping everything running smoothly. Finally, in a new position this year, Literary Interns will assist with research and dramaturgy in rehearsals. Download an on-line application form at http://sfshakes.org/pdf/Internship%20Application%202014.pdf.

January 11, 2014

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