Livermore Second Graders Perform For So Wise So Young

LVJUSD: Today, the curtain closed on the final fall performance of the Livermore Shakespeare Festival’s (LSF) So Wise So Young program for second graders in the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD). The literacy program introduced young students to the work of William Shakespeare through education in theater arts. Students engaged in script analysis, set and costume design, and received instruction in stage directions. The students had a keen sense of the play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by the end of the program, which culminated in a classroom performance of one scene.

In a display of impressive professionalism, the young students promptly responded to a call for places with “thank you, places!” With a solid grasp of stage blocking, they stood, moved, and gestured when their lines came. Understanding the various predicaments of their characters and how they related to one another, student affected the demeanor - equine or otherwise - of their roles. Throughout the program, they studied the vocabulary and historical context of the era for a robust introduction to the Bard’s work.

The Livermore Valley Education Foundation (LVEF), which has focused on supporting the arts in LVJUSD schools since its founding in 1991, funded more than half the cost of the program, enabling a complementary contribution from a California Arts Council Grant. "LSF is honored to be a part of this great example of a successful community partnership,” said LSF Managing Director Katie Marcel. “Through a generous grant from the LVEF, Livermore Shakes is able to bring professional teaching artists into the classrooms to offer an equitable program to all of the second graders in the LVJUSD. We are so proud of this partnership, and hope that through the success of this program our community can find other opportunities for the nonprofit sector, the school district, and outside funders to augment the curriculum for our local kids." Superintendent of Schools, Kelly Bowers, Ed.D., agreed with Marcel. “As a former English teacher, I am thrilled to see this partnership ignite our children’s understanding and appreciation of Shakespeare and his works,” she said.

An important aspect of the lessons were for the students to begin learning to inhabit their “character bodies” – having a sense of being someone (or something) else while they prepared and performed. The performance facet of the program provided the students a unique lesson in empathy and confidence as they mustered up the spirit of their characters – the physicality of posing and projecting, as well as a sensitivity to a character’s motivations and relation to the larger world of the play. A common refrain from the LSF teaching artists was, “Queens don’t lean,” encouraging the players - Titanias especially - to maintain their composure.

LSF hopes to develop a positive attitude about drama and Shakespeare for students. When asked for their favorite part of the program, many students expressed appreciation for the chance to “learn fancy words” and enjoyed looking up definitions for the vibrant vocabulary in the play. As a common reading assignment, first exposure to Shakespeare may be intimidating, but getting to live in it at an age when imagination and play are second nature gives it the life it deserves.

“My students were captivated by this program,” said Smith Elementary teacher Monica Tracey. “It exposed them to the life and times of Shakespeare, new vocabulary, acting skills, and the love of literature. It fit nicely into my curriculum and crossed many subjects. I highly recommend this program and hope they can reach other grade levels as well. The exposure to history, literature, and culture is rich for all children. My kiddos LOVED it!”

Photos courtesy of LVJUSD