Featured Story
Interactive Shakespeare: R+J4EVR
From Upper School English teacher Anna Birinyi:
In April, St. Luke’s ninth graders gathered in the Wyckoff Family Black Box Theater to watch R+J4EVR, an interactive adaptation of Romeo and Juliet presented by Shakespeare on the Sound. This unique production stars only two actors playing the titular “star-crossed lovers,” thereby focusing the audience’s attention on the development of Romeo and Juliet’s doomed relationship. Throughout the forty-five-minute performance, the actors spoke directly to the audience, asking questions or requesting involvement from our students. This drew the freshmen into the world of the play and helped them to connect with Shakespeare’s language.
The performance was followed by a talkback where students had the opportunity to discuss what they had just seen and to pose thoughtful questions to the director and actors. The conversation has continued around the Harkness table with our study of Romeo and Juliet, and our students’ understanding of the characters’ motivations and choices has been enriched by their experience of hearing the play.
Many thanks to Shakespeare on the Sound for providing this opportunity to the St. Luke’s freshman class.
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 35 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Center for Leadership builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
