A LITTLE SHAKESPEARE
Engaging young artists with the work of the Bard in an adaptation directed and designed by professional artists, performed and supported backstage by high school students.
Each season, Two River Theater produces a 75-90 minute adaptation of a Shakespeare play—directed and designed by theater professionals, and performed and supported backstage by high school students. Student participants are selected through auditions and interviews, and rehearsals take place over a 2-3 month period. Performances are open not only to the public; four school-time shows engage students as young as 4th grade, often serving as their introduction to Shakespeare. Since 2013, over 220 students from 36 schools have participated in eleven Little Shakes productions, performing for thousands of audience members as young as 9 years old.
THIS YEAR'S PRODUCTION
A Little Shakespeare: The Tempest
The only thing stronger than Prospero’s magical spells might be the power of love and forgiveness. Back for its 12th year, Two River’s most popular education program transports you to an enchanted island where anything is possible.
VIDEO SUBMISSION FOR ACTORS
Actors will email a video audition by Friday, October 25 at 7:00pm.
WHAT TO DO: (all steps are required)
- Read through the Little Shakes: The Tempest Rehearsal and Performance Schedule and make sure that you are available to commit to this production. Make note of all rehearsal conflicts that you already know, and you’ll include them in your audition form.
- Fill out this form with your contact info and experience/interest and known rehearsal conflicts. When you submit your audition form, you’ll get a link with specific info about what to prepare. But generally speaking:
- Auditioners will send us a video performing one of our four suggested monologues from The Tempest and a short movement audition. Deadline for video audition submissions is Friday, October 25 at 7pm.
BACKSTAGE OPPORTUNITIES
We will schedule interviews for Design Assistants and Run Crew in November 2024.
WHAT TO DO: (all steps are required)
- Read through the Little Shakes: The Tempest Rehearsal and Performance Schedule and make sure that you are available to commit to this production. See below for time commitments.
- Read the descriptions and time commitments below, and fill out this form with your contact info and experience/interest by Friday, October 25.
We are looking for:
Costume Assistant, Lighting Assistant, Sound Assistant, and Run Crew
We will need responsible, organized people to work backstage as assistants to the Designers (Costumes, Lighting, and Sound). If you are interested in any areas of theater design or technical theater, you could have the opportunity to assist a professional designer in translating the director’s vision to the stage, and running the show during performances. The time commitment for these positions starts when technical rehearsals begin in mid-January 2025 and continues throughout the run. Design Assistants and Run Crew must be available for all technical rehearsals and performances.
If you have read through all of the above and have questions, please email us at kcordaro@trtc.org or bbutler@trtc.org.
Recent Productions
A Little Shakespeare: Love's Labour's Lost
A raucous celebration of head versus heart! The King of Navarre and his classmates swore an oath to hit the books and swear off dating for three years – until the arrival of the Princess of France and her charming friends threatened their vow. Adapted and directed by Tai Thompson in our 23/24 Season.
A Little Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet
What if Romeo and Juliet were not the first Montague and Capulet to fall in love? This fresh adaptation by director Diana M. Fathi explored the audacity of a new generation to defy an inherited family feud in our 22/23 Season.
A Little Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing
In the 21/22 Season, we presented a new adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic Much Ado About Nothing, adapted and directed by Rakesh Palisetty.
Tiny Shakes: Romeo and Juliet
In our 20/21 Season, the program used the limitations of 2021 as a unique opportunity for students to delve deeply into the play and give them the agency to tell the story in their own way, filming scenes from home. Over the course of the program, 21 students partnered with industry professionals to learn more about acting, visual design, music, fight choreography, and filmmaking. The result is an eclectic and energetic production of Romeo and Juliet featuring original music, TikTok dances, FaceTime calls, and more.