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Moravian Academy in Action
Shakespeare-iential Learning at Moravian Academy
The Bard is alive and well at MA this fall! Students in 10th grade– and 11th and 12th graders in The Plays of Shakespeare course– are not only reading and analyzing Shakespeare’s language, but they are seeing his works performed and are actively engaged in embodying and bringing to life his words and stories on the Merle-Smith Campus.
Students each select a sonnet and get to know those 14 lines very well. We first celebrate the language of the poem. We look at the poem’s language carefully, define words, and scan the meter. We then prepare our sonnet for ownership. We interact with the language and translate it into our own words, thoughts, and feelings. All throughout this process, we practice embodying the sonnet on stage, both for ourselves and each other.
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Sophomores and “The Scottish Play,” plus Romeo and Juliet at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
All students in Mr. Brennan’s, Mr. Molloy’s, and Dr. Moore’s English 10 classes are embarking on their study of Macbeth this September, and a favorite way of ours to get to know the play is by getting the language out of the script and acting the scenes out. We will infuse our study of the play with a field trip to see a performance of Romeo and Juliet at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey at Drew University in September. Seeing Shakespeare performed live is the best way to experience his plays, and we are excited not only to see Romeo and Juliet, but in October, we’ll also see Macbeth when the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival WillPower Tour makes a stop in Dyer Auditorium with their rendition of the Scottish Play.
The Plays of Shakespeare, The Sonnet Project, and Jon Riker ‘18
Students in The Plays of Shakespeare course, a one-of-a-kind co-curricular course in the Lehigh Valley co-taught by Dr. Moore and Ms. Harrsch, will also be attending the Romeo and Juliet performance at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. This semester, Plays of Shakespeare students will table read and study three plays: Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Much Ado About Nothing. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to see all three plays we are studying!
Presently, every student in The Plays of Shakespeare class is working on joyfully bringing to life one of Shakespeare’s sonnets-- 14 lines at a time!
Students each select a sonnet and get to know those 14 lines very well. We first celebrate the language of the poem. We look at the poem’s language carefully, define words, and scan the meter. We then prepare our sonnet for ownership. We interact with the language and translate it into our own words, thoughts, and feelings. All throughout this process, we practice embodying the sonnet on stage, both for ourselves and each other.
Though presenting a sonnet on stage might give us butterflies in our stomachs, we are learning that this project is but one step in our journey of understanding and appreciating Shakespeare this semester. In MA’s Portrait of a Graduate, students “design their lives with purpose and meaning with intention on sustained joy and balance.” Our Sonnet Project allows each student to develop a relationship with and an appreciation for Shakespeare’s language so that they may experience the joy of performing. As they form their personal connection to their sonnet, their sense of who they are as scholars, performers–and as young adults– deepens and grows.
It is truly amazing the combination of MA students and 14 lines of poetry!
To augment our sonneteering, MA Alum Jon Riker ‘18, visited our class and spoke about his acting career and his experience with Shakespeare as a working actor. Jon is currently performing at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, and he’s got some fabulous shows lined up that he’s working on, namely the one-person show, I Am My Own Wife, at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre. He talked about his process for approaching Shakespeare’s language and even brought a sonnet to perform for us. Students got a chance to perform our sonnets for Jon, and he was gracious and thoughtful with the feedback he gave us.
In a couple of weeks, the sonnets will be performance-ready, and we cannot wait to see them and our students shine!
The Muse of Fire Project casts Sam Skinner ‘27
The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival at DeSales University is piloting a brand-new student Shakespeare company this fall. The Muse of Fire Project will rehearse and present Much Ado About Nothing with a cast of students from all over the Lehigh Valley. Sam Skinner ‘27 has been cast as the villain Don John in the play, and we are so excited for Sam! Bravo! 
