Learning Shakespeare
It is so rare that we, as actors, get the opportunity to dive into a play as deeply and as meaningfully as we've been given the time to do with Learning Shakespeare. I'm so grateful for the freedom to have been able to mine the text without pressure to 'perform', but also to speak and experience it through the dual, complicated lens of both actor and scholar. Thank you again for always providing me and the other studio members with opportunities to expand our creative practices and continue growing as humans.
Lilith in Pisces
"I wanted to thank Michael and Patrick for hosting this class. Truly, it has been a light in this dark year for me and I'm sure fellow classmates feel the same. Hearing Patrick talk intricately and passionately about this text has certainly bettered my understanding of Shakespeare's works of art - that prior to this, was a struggle for me to break down. I know I still have quite the ways to go but I feel I am almost reignited in excitement for future work!"
Harbor Me
“I believe Learning Shakespeare is saving lives. You have several students in the class who have written to tell me that their Sunday evening commitment to class is what’s keeping them hanging on. Thank you. It’s a great class, but it’s more than that. We have built an ark. I am so grateful to you.”
Artistic Director, Southwest Shakespeare Company
"This was probably the most formative class I have taken at the studio and I feel changed from these questions and from the journey we have collectively been through right now."
Pete the Cat
"In just two sessions, I have learned more about the reading and understanding of Shakespeare's text than I did in two separate undergraduate courses (sadly, my graduate program offered none). As a young director, this course is essential to my development and your amazing generosity of allowing me to listen in is greatly appreciated."
Faculty, Minnesota State University
“Thank you for the transformative experience of Learning Shakespeare. It transported me in ways I could have never imagined and are too numerous to list here. As Patrick stated, reading the great works changes us as human beings, and this class certainly did so for me! You both took such great care of us, and your passions and commitments to teaching and facilitating were evident at every turn.”
Chicago Shakes
I can't begin to express my gratitude to Michael and Patrick for holding this space and for the integrity and structure they bring to it. Thank you for bringing the same integrity to the virtual space as much as you both do to the studio space. I am grateful that while Patrick holds the highest of standards in class, there is also room to play, grow and make mistakes in a safe environment. It is the perfect space for artists to grow. I was very thirsty for this space. I'm sure others were as well.
Company Member, Gilbert and Sulliavan players
Learning Shakespeare kept my artist soul filled up during the pandemic. Patrick's spirit, honestly and kindness made me feel supported and challenged. He inspired me to look more deeply into the text, which led me to grow as a person. I can’t recommend the studio highly enough.
Portland Stage Company
About this Course
Learning Shakespeare, our wildly successful online series, has attracted hundreds of students from around the world.
Each class is 2 hours long and conducted on Zoom. As in the past, classes focus on every aspect of Shakespeare’s craft. Students will learn and practice foundational principles of acting, textual analysis, verse, characterization, themes, imagery, and meaning.
Each class lasts 10 weeks wherein an entire play is dissected from beginning to end. In the past, we have explored King Lear, Hamlet, Macbeth, The Tempest, Twelfth Night, Midsummer Night's Dream, and Shakespeare's monologues. Each class culminates in a final showing that is open to outside observers.
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FAqs
Learning Shakespeare is designed for students of all different levels and backgrounds. Students will learn the exclusive Acting System taught in The Patrick Page Studio, and the Principles of Shakespeare’s Text as practiced by Patrick. Many non-actors take the courses, as we also engage deeply with the moral, ethical, philosophical, historical and spiritual questions in the plays.
Because Shakespeare plays were written specifically to be acted, the best way to deepen our understanding of the play is to prepare to perform it. Although Shakespeare is used as a teaching tool, the principles passed down in the class are applicable to virtually all forms of theatre.
Students must commit fully to each 8-week session. Absences make teaching very difficult, as we assume knowledge of past sessions when teaching new material.
Each class requires a non-refundable deposit in order to hold your spot in class. Beyond that, we offer flexible payment plans based on the needs of each artist.
The Patrick Page Studio is committed to giving talented actors a solid technique they can rely upon at all times and under any conditions. Through exercises and scene study, students will increase their ability to be present, playful, surprising, imaginative, and, most importantly, responsive to their partners.