Students of all ages find common ground with Shakespeare

By student writer Leah MisenerIn a twist on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 20 lucky kids in the North Bay area discover the bard for the 21st century, thanks to an innovative program developed by Nipissing’s English Department and the North Bay Public Library.
The Shakespeare after School program pairs university students passionate about theatre, literature and education with enthusiastic kids from the North Bay area. The result: a new breed of Shakespeare production.
The collaboration between Nipissing and the Public Library began in 2006. This year’s performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with a cast of 18 children and five student volunteers, developed in the course of six weeks.  It included many mini projects including props, learning lines, learning the craft of acting through games and rehearsing the finished product.
Student volunteer Emily Koszechenko’s motivation is working with the kids on their props and acting skills while having fun playing games.
“I take pride in seeing them make progress in theatrical techniques,” says the fourth-year English student. Her involvement with the program has a direct impact on her career path, as she is interested in becoming a teacher herself.
Dr. Kristin Lucas, Professor in the English Department and Coordinator of the Shakespeare after School program, is motivated by the great results the program has seen over the years.
“It’s always a challenging task to coordinate volunteers and schedule programs like this, but it has great benefits for the families and students that are involved, and it’s a fun theatre experience for the kids,” she said.