Shakespeare
Robinson Shakespeare Company Wins LEAP Grant
The Robinson Shakespeare Company is the proud winner of a 2011 Better World Books LEAP (Literacy and Education in Action Program) Grant for $10,000!
The Robinson Center is offering a six week intensive summer Shakespeare program for inner city urban youth during summer of 2011. The camp will serve 20-25 youth between the ages of ten and seventeen, using Romeo and Juliet as the focal work.
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Robinson Shakespeare Company earns awards
Shannon Chapla
Competitors and judges in the Shakespeare at Notre Dame Regional Shakespeare Competition. (Photo by Peter Ringenberg)
Four members of the Robinson Community Learning Center (RCLC)’s Robinson Shakespeare Company (RSC) earned awards in Shakespeare at Notre Dame’s second annual English Speaking Union Shakespeare Monologue Competition.
Rayelynn Lee placed first and Indonesia Holt placed second in the elementary division; Paul Ferguson was the top middle school student; and Charell Luckey placed first in the high school competition. Luckey will move on to represent the district at the state competition Feb. 28 in Indianapolis.
This is the second time an RSC participant will participate on the statewide level. Last year, Tirshatha Jeffrey was named second runner-up.
Fourteen RSC members represented grades 3 to 12 in the competition, which featured a total of five elementary school competitors, 18 in middle school and 22 in high school. RSC members, coached by Christy Burgess, the RCLC’s volunteer and performing arts coordinator, have practiced their monologues during each weekly meeting since September.
A 50-member, year-round club, the RSC was founded last year by Christy Burgess and Velshonna Luckey, the RCLC’s associate director of children’s programs, with the help of a grant from the Community Foundation of Saint Joseph County’s ArtsEverywhere Initiative. The company has performed “Macbeth,” “The Comedy of Errors” and “The Merchant of Venice,” as well as outreach scenes for the Notre Dame’s Board of Trustees and Arts and Letters Advisory Board and Art Beat in South Bend.
Shakespeare at Notre Dame seeks to establish the University nationally and internationally as a center for the study of Shakespeare in performance. The program includes the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival, Notre Dame’s professional theater in residence; the McMeel Family Chair in Shakespeare Studies; and Actors From The London Stage, a professional touring residency experience.
Founded in 1918, the English Speaking Union is an international charity that promotes international understanding and friendship through the use of the English language.
Contact: Christy Burgess, 574-631-9430, christyburgess@nd.edu
Charell Luckey presents her winning monologue from Shakespeare’sKing Lear. She, along with runner-up Alexa Gates, will now advance to the state festival in Indianapolis. (Photo by Peter Ringenberg)
Shakespeare at Notre Dame Regional Shakespeare Competition Champion Charell Luckey. (Photo by Peter Ringenberg)
Pictured L to R, Amanda Perugini, Randy Colborn, Paul Ferguson, Raelynn Lee, Indonesia Holt, Peter Holland, Charell Luckey, Alexa Gates, and Scott Jackson. (Photo by Peter Ringenberg)
In Summer, 2008, RCLC youth (grades 3–12) produced their first play, Macbeth, after a five-week Summer Shakespeare camp directed by Christy Burgess. Their production was held at Notre Dame’s Washington Hall. A number of the children were responsible for playing three or more roles. Given the success of the event and numerous appearances since (Shakescenes at Notre Dame, South Bend Artbeat, Perley Primary Center teacher in-service, RCLC Lunch & Learn), a fall 2008 production is being planned. If you are interested, please contact Christy Burgess at 631-9430.
