By: Maureen Meosky
Chances are, you’ve probably heard of Shakespeariment. If you haven’t, its’ a group in which students with an appreciation for Shakespeare’s work meet once or twice a week and eventually put on a play in the spring. These plays, though sometimes viewed as harder to relate to than plays written more recently, are actually known for being remarkably identifiable to the everyday human experience. While Shakespeare’s old English may at first be intimidating, the stories behind it are surprisingly relatable. He’s also incredibly funny, which comes across more effectively when the plays are acted out.
And this year, Shakespeare has a whole new style – instead of having one or two major events (such as plays) in the school year, Shakespeariment will now feature a wide collection of different events stretching throughout the year. This strategy will change a display of Shakespeare’s work from a seldom play or event to a part of everyday life here at East, giving perhaps the most influential playwright of all time some more of the credit he so deserves. The club meets every Monday after school in the English office.
Mrs. Pankow, one of the advisors, said, “Instead of doing a play this year, we’re going to be doing things like performing at newspaper coffee houses, in gym classes, and in the English area. We’re going to have workshops and bring in experts in fight coordination and voice and things like that. So, we’re going to be doing more with Shakespeare consistently throughout the year, just not the big [plays].”
Shakespeariment not only gives a better education in the works of Shakespeare, but lets the members be creative with their parts and express different aspects of the characters in original ways. Shakespeariment member Gillian Cavanaugh, when asked what she liked most about Shakespeariment, Gillian said that what she liked most was, “The people involved with Shakespeariment. Everyone in the club’s been really nice and welcoming.” And it’s no lie that this club’s a lot of fun. Members of the club are allowed to express themselves through the characters, which is understandably one of the main appeals of the club. The plays are performed in such a way that young people can understand and relate to, and because of this, they are enthusiastic about Shakespeare in an early point in their lives.
Mrs. Pankow said, “The idea behind the founding of Shakespeariment was to make Shakespeare more of a presence throughout the year, and to be creative in how we express our love for Shakespeare.” It’s clear to see that Shakespeariment has had a profound impact on its members’ lives. People who were in this club as teenagers have taken what they learned in Shakespeariment all the way through college and into the rest of their lives. To conclude, even though there won’t be a major play, this year is sure to be a promising one for Shakespeariment.
