The Semester is Winding Down...

Poor Ophelia!!!

Dearest Shakespeareans,

This week, we will NOT be meeting at the Rigby Public Library!!! We will be having class at the Browning's Home in Shelley. I will e-mail out their address to you today.

Those in Rexburg or Rigby who need a ride from me, I will be leaving my home at 11:30AM. I only have room for 10, besides my kids and I, so LET ME KNOW ASAP IF YOU NEED A RIDE!!! Call me at 754-9916. In other news, we have lots and lots of exciting things happening as this semester comes to an end! :-)

• To announce OFFICIALLY: We WILL be performing "Much Ado About Nothing" on May 20, 21, and 22, 2010. *YAY!!!*

Here are some other VERY important dates coming up:
November 25th: NO CLASS!!! Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!
December 9th: LAST DAY OF CLASS!!! All Ten Step requirements must be done by this date at the very latest!
December 16th: Ten Step PARTY during our usual class time (12:30 to 3:00pm) AT MY HOUSE. You will not want to miss this awesome celebration, so get those Ten Steps done!!!Jan. 9, 2010 (Saturday): PARENT MEETING for Second Semester (3:00pm) Location TBA

Jan. 9, 2010 (Saturday): PARENT RENAISSANCE NIGHT for First Semester Students and Parents (6-8pm) Location TBA
January 13, 2010: Second Semester Class starts!!!

THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Reading Assignment: Act V Scene 1

2. Writing Assignment: (LAST ONE!!!) Write a Summary of Hamlet

3. Bonus Question!: What is the square mileage of Denmark?

4. Presentations:

• Ashlynn R: Mysticism and Animals
• Madison B. and Kassidy R.: Elizabethan Dance

RACE TO ROYALTY: We are getting there! Lots of great strides being made in reading more and more plays by the Bard!

Y.E.S. Royalty Status-- November 18, 2009
Student	Ranking	# to Read
Baird, Chelsea	Magistrate	4
Ball, Caleb	Commoner	6
Ball, Johanna	Commoner	6
Black, HeatherJane	QUEEN!!!	***
Browning, Tanner	Guildsman	5
Browning, Madison	Marchioness	***
Dye, Amber	QUEEN!!!	***
Dye, Janna	Princess	***
Dye, Natalie	Countess	1
Dye, Sarah	Countess	1
Elkington, Clay	Guildsman	5
Elkington, Tex	Guildsman	5
Fahnestock, Eilee	Duchess	***
Jones, Amira	Countess	1
Jones, Summer	Magistrate	4
Kendell, Elizabeth	Marchioness	***
Kendell, Lewis	Baron	2
Keppner, Brennan	KING!!!	***
Keppner, Lliam	Marquess	***
Keppner, Morganne	Countess	1
King, Brock	Baron	2
Loosli, Amanda	Baroness	2
Lowry, Anika	Knight	3
Pearson, Hannah	Marquess	***
Pingel, Jacob	KING!!!	***
Roberts, Andrew	Marquess	***
Rowberry, Ashlynn	Marchioness	***
Rowberry, Kassidy	Duchess	***
Smith, Ryker	Prince	***
Ward, Blythe	QUEEN!!!	***
Warner, Monica	QUEEN!!!	***
Warner, Shelly	QUEEN!!!	***

*** = At least Seven plays have been read for the Ten Steps

TEN STEPS REMINDER:

We will be having an AWESOME party in the afternoon of Wednesday, December 16th for those who complete ALL of the Ten Steps. Here are the Ten Steps so that you can help and encourage your student to reach their goals!

1. See, read, or listen to 7 or more Shakespeare Plays
2. Hand in the completed Vocabulary Sheets
3. Read "HAMLET" and discuss it in class
4. Help plan the Parents' Shakespeare Faire (which will happen the first Saturday in January)
5. Turn in the "Uncommon Usage" word list
6. Turn in the completed "Common Old English Terms" sheet
7. Explain "Iambic Pentameter" to the Class Mentor. (Mrs. Keppner went over this in class !)
8. Make a 10 minute presentation on an assigned Elizabethan Era topic
9. Recite from memory the assigned Set Piece
10. Write a summary of the play, "HAMLET"

If you have any questions or concerns, please call me at 754-9916. Thanks for all your support-- I have so enjoyed having you all in our Y.E.S. class! :-)

Sincerely,
Mrs. Rachel Keppner, Mentor

This Week...

Here are this week's assignments, due TOMORROW, Wednesday, November 4th :

READING ASSIGNMENT: For Wednesday, students should read Act IV, Scenes 1-4 of Hamlet

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Describe what it feels like after you have done something wrong or bad.

BONUS Question: What is Fortinbras?

Race to Royalty:
We will crown BLYTHE WARD as a Queen tomorrow!!! *YAY!* :-) I can't wait to see how many plays everyone reads, watches, or listens to this week! :-)

PRESENTATIONS:
We had great presentations this week by Janna, Sarah, Caleb and Johanna! Great job!!! :-) Below are the presentations for next week. Remember, you can be as creative as you want to be! Each presentation should last no longer than 10 minutes.

• Ryker Smith: The Four Humors

• Amanda Loosli: Death, Burial, and Ghosts

• Amber Dye: Elizabethan Music

If you need help, or have any questions or concerns, please call me at 754-9916. Thanks for all your support-- I love our Y.E.S. class! :-)

Love, Mrs. Keppner

Fall 2009-- Week Seven

Oops! I haven't kept this blog as updated as I should... *blush*

Here's the info for class today:

READING ASSIGNMENT: Read Act III, Scenes 3-4 of Hamlet.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Give an example of eavesdropping. What do you think of it?

BONUS Question: Where did the name Hamlet originate? How does it relate to William Shakespeare?
Race to Royalty:
We crowned our first two royalty last week, and had a fun coronation ceremony for Monica and Shelly Warner! :-) I can't wait to see how many everyone reads, watches, or listens to this week! :-)

PRESENTATIONS:
We had great presentations this week by Jacob, Brock, and Blythe! Excellent work, guys! :-) Below are the presentations for next week. Remember, you can be as creative as you want to be! Each presentation should last no longer than 10 minutes.

• Jana and Sarah Dye: Education in Elizabethan times

• Caleb Ball: Geography of England

• Johanna Ball: Mental Illness and Retardation

If you have any questions or concerns, please call me at 754-9916. Thanks for all your support! :-)

Love, Mrs. K.

Two Videos-- For FUN!

Dear Shakespeareans:

Here are two videos that I mentioned in class the last couple of weeks. The first is the highly dramatic "rejection" scene (Act III, Scene 1) between Hamlet and Ophelia:




And here is the "Mirroring" video I mentioned in class yesterday after our fun warm up! :-) :

Fall 2009-- Week Five

YES Parents and Students:

We have some big announcements this week, so please read this entire message carefully!

*First of all, we have a fieldtrip happening next Tuesday, October 20th! I just sent an e-mail out to all the parents about this, but if anyone did not receive it, check out post just below this one for details.

*Secondly, I will be hosting a costume/Halloween party for the Shakespeare students at my home on Saturday, October 24th. We'll have a costume contest (no masks or grotesque costumes, please), games, karaoke, yummy food, music, Shakespeare movies, and loads of good, clean FUN! Each family should bring one big treat or snack food to share with everyone. Shakespeare students and their siblings 12 years and older are welcome to attend, too. It's going to be a BLAST, so come!

Here are this week's assignments, due THIS week, on Wednesday October 14 :

READING ASSIGNMENT:
For Wednesday, students should read Act III, Scene 1 of Hamlet.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Is there life after death? Describe what it would be like if there isn't or if there is.

BONUS Question: What is the climate like in Elsinore?

Race to Royalty:

Excellent work, everyone! The race is on, and we've got several class members moving up the ranks.

Here are where the rankings lie so far:

• Princesses: HeatherJane and Shelly
  
• Duchess: Amber
• Marchioness: Monica
• Countess: Ashlynn
• Baronesses: Blythe and Jana
  
• Knights: Natalie and Eilee
  
• Magistrates: Elizabeth, Lewis, Hannah, Jacob, and Andrew
  
• Guildsmen: Chelsea, Sarah, Brennan, Lliam, Brock and Anika
  
• Commoners: Tex, Amira, Morganne, Courtney and Ryker
  

I can't wait to see how many everyone reads, watches, or listens to this week! :-)
***PARENTS, PLEASE NOTE: There are many versions of Shakespeare's plays in movie form. PLEASE be careful and pre-screen the movie versions of the plays for your family. Usually the BBC version (with the exception of Hamlet, unfortunately) is fairly clean. ALL the works of Shakespeare have been filmed by the BBC and are available at Netflix. (Netflix.com) If you have a Netflix membership, they can even be watched for free online.

All of the play scripts are available for free online. Google is your friend! ;-)


PRESENTATIONS:
We had great presentations this week by Eilee, Lliam and Amira! Well done!!! :-) Below are the presentations for next week. Remember, you can be as creative as you want to be! Each presentation should last no longer than 10 minutes.

• HeatherJane- God, Religion, and Superstitions
  
• Natalie- The Ruling Class

(If your student has not signed up for a presentation yet, tell them to see me before or after class on Wednesday.)

TEN STEPS REMINDER: We will be having an AWESOME party at the end of the semester for those who complete ALL of the 10 Steps. Here are the Ten Steps so that you can help and encourage your student to reach their goals!

1. See, read, or listen to 7 or more Shakespeare Plays
2. Hand in the completed Vocabulary Sheets
3. Read "HAMLET" and discuss it in class
4. Help plan the Parents' Shakespeare Faire (which will happen the first Saturday in January)
5. Turn in the "Uncommon Usage" word list
6. Turn in the completed "Common Old English Terms" sheet
7. Explain "Iambic Pentameter" to the Class Mentor. (Mrs. Keppner went over this in class !)
8. Make a 10 minute presentation on an assigned Elizabethan Era topic
9. Recite from memory the assigned Set Piece
10. Write a summary of the play, "HAMLET"

If you have any questions or concerns, please call me at 754-9916. Thanks for all your support-- I am enjoying having your children in our Y.E.S. class! :-)

Sincerely,
Mrs. Rachel Keppner, Mentor

YES-- A Fieldtrip!!!

Dear Shakespeareans and Parents,

We just received a WONDERFUL opportunity to go and see the play, Tartuffe at BYU-Idaho on October 20th at 7:30 pm for FREE!!! It's a dress rehearsal performance, and there are 30 seats available to us at no charge! :-)

PLEASE, let me know before or during class this Wednesday if you will be coming with us or not. While Tartuffe was not written by Shakespeare, it is a classic farcical play performed using verse. I WILL LET YOUR ATTENDANCE AT THIS PLAY COUNT TOWARD YOUR SHAKESPEARE PLAYS!!!

We will meet in the lobby of the Snow Theatre at 6:45 pm SHARP. For those coming from Shelley or IF, you can catch a ride with me in front of the Rigby library at 6:00 pm. PLEASE let me know if you are coming so I can keep and eye out for you and won't leave without you. (I will have room for 11 people, so first come, first served!)

I will need a definite head count on Wednesday, as tickets are required, and I need to get them before the performance next Tuesday night.

So exciting!!! See you Wednesday! :-)

~Mrs. Keppner

I Am Bic Pentameter...

For any of you that might want a review of my lecture on Wednesday, check out this great video!

(But I still like "I AM a PI-rate WITH a WOOD-en LEG!")

Fall 2009-- Week Four

Hello, Dear Shakespeareans!

I'm sorry my letter is late this week. :-(

Here are this week's assignments, due next week, on October :

READING ASSIGNMENT:
For next week, they should read Act II, the rest of Scene 2 of Hamlet.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT:
How would you feel if your parents hired someone to be your friend?

BONUS Question:
Where do the names Polonius, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and Ophelia originate?

Race to Royalty:
Amber Dye read *7* plays last week!!! Awesome job, Amber! We also had HeatherJane who read *6* plays, and Shelly Warner who read *4*! Other readers were Jana, Sarah, Tex, Eilee, Brennan, Lliam, Hannah, Jacob, Courtney, Andrew, Ryker, and Monica! Excellent work!!! I can't wait to see how many everyone reads, watches, or listens to this week! :-)

***PARENTS, PLEASE NOTE: There are many versions of Shakespeare's plays in movie form. PLEASE be careful and pre-screen the movie versions of the plays for your family. Usually the BBC version (with the exception of Hamlet, unfortunately) is fairly clean. ALL the works of Shakespeare have been filmed by the BBC and are available at Netflix. (Netflix.com) If you have a Netflix membership, they can even be watched for free online.

All of the play scripts are available for free online. Google is your friend! ;-)


PRESENTATIONS:
We had great presentations this week by Anika, Elizabeth, and Lewis! Nice job, guys!!! :-) Below are the presentations for next week. Remember, you can be as creative as you want to be! Each presentation should last no longer than 10 minutes.

• Eilee Fahnestock: Witches, Fairies, and things that go "bump" in the night
• Lliam Keppner: "Off with His Head!": Crime and Punishment
• Amira Jones: Natural Order and Social Position

(If your student has not signed up for a presentation yet, tell them to see me before or after class on Wednesday.)

UPCOMING PARTY!!!

*Our family will be hosting a costume/Halloween party for Shakespeare students at our home (20 N. 3500 E. in Rigby) on Saturday, October 24th. We'll have a costume contest (no masks, please!), games, karaoke, yummy food, music and loads of good, clean FUN! We'll also be watching AT LEAST one Shakespeare movie that will count toward the students' readings! ;-) If you don't want to come in costume, that's fine, too-- come anyway! Shakespeare students and their siblings 12 years and older are welcome to attend. It's going to be a BLAST, so come!

TEN STEPS REMINDER: We will be having an AWESOME party at the end of the semester for those who complete ALL of the 10 Steps. Here are the Ten Steps so that you can help and encourage your student to reach their goals!

1. See, read, or listen to 7 or more Shakespeare Plays
2. Hand in the completed Vocabulary Sheets
3. Read "HAMLET" and discuss it in class
4. Help plan the Parents' Shakespeare Faire (which will happen the first Saturday in January)
5. Turn in the "Uncommon Usage" word list
6. Turn in the completed "Common Old English Terms" sheet
7. Explain "Iambic Pentameter" to the Class Mentor. (Mrs. Keppner went over this in class Wednesday!)
8. Make a 10 minute presentation on an assigned Elizabethan Era topic
9. Recite from memory the assigned Set Piece
10. Write a summary of the play, "HAMLET"

If you have any questions or concerns, please call me at 754-9916. Thanks for all your support-- I am enjoying having your children in our Y.E.S. class! :-)

Sincerely,
Mrs. Rachel Keppner, Mentor

Fall 2009-- Week Three

Hello, Dear Shakespeare Parents!

We had a great time on Wednesday, and I'm so excited to be mentoring your children in our YES class! Every week, you will receive an e-mail from me, telling you what assignments are due for next week.

Here are this week's assignments, due next week, on September 30th:

READING ASSIGNMENT:For next week, they should read Act II, Scenes 1-2 up to line 221 of Hamlet. We use the Cliff's Complete version, which is readily available on Amazon, and I understand that Hastings may also have it. This version is important, because we will also be discussing some of the commentary.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT:
Make a Plot Chart of the play so far. Describe the plots being laid.

BONUS Question:
Where is Wittenberg?

Race to Royalty:
Brennan Keppner read *4* plays last week! Way to go, Brennan!!! We had several others read one or two, as well. I'd like to challenge all my students to catch up, and see how far on the "royal ladder" you can get this week! :-)

TEN STEPS REMINDER: We will be having an AWESOME party at the end of the semester for those who complete ALL of the 10 Steps. Here are the Ten Steps so that you can help and encourage your student to reach their goals!

1. See, read, or listen to 7 or more Shakespeare Plays
2. Hand in the completed Vocabulary Sheets
3. Read "HAMLET" and discuss it in class
4. Help plan the Parents' Shakespeare Faire (which will happen the first Saturday in January)
5. Turn in the "Uncommon Usage" word list
6. Turn in the completed "Common Old English Terms" sheet
7. Explain "Iambic Pentameter" to the Class Mentor. (Mrs. Keppner will go over this in class.)
8. Make a 10 minute presentation on an assigned Elizabethan Era topic
9. Recite from memory the assigned Set Piece
10. Write a summary of the play, "HAMLET"


UPCOMING PARTY!!!

The main reason I love to teach Shakespeare-- besides the fact that I LOVE it-- is that I believe in building an inspiring, uplifting community of GOOD kids for my own youth to associate with. Those of us with young adults know that the temptation to put them in school grows as they get older, and want and need a peer group of friends. As I told the kids in class yesterday, we are not just a Shakespeare Class-- we are a COMMUNITY! :-) So throughout the year, my family will be hosting parties to encourage and nurture those relationships with other amazing youth that love to study, and appreciate the good things in life, such as Shakespeare. If any other family would like to have a party in their home at any time, let me know, and I'll help spread the word. You are also more than welcome to send fliers or announcements for such an event to class with your kids.

*Our family will be hosting a costume/Halloween party for Shakespeare students at the end of October, so keep an eye and ear out for the date and time. We'll have games, karaoke, yummy food, music and loads of good, clean FUN! Shakespeare students and their siblings 12 years and older are welcome to attend. More information is coming soon!

Let's build something GREAT here in Southeast Idaho for ALL of us! :-)

***PARENTS, PLEASE NOTE: There are many versions of Shakespeare's plays in movie form. PLEASE be careful and pre-screen the movie versions of the plays for your family. Usually the BBC version (with the exception of Hamlet, unfortunately) is fairly clean. ALL the works of Shakespeare have been filmed by the BBC and are available at Netflix. (Netflix.com) If you have a Netflix membership, they can even be watched for free online.

All of the play scripts are available for free online. Google is your friend! ;-)

PRESENTATIONS:
We had a great presentation this week by Shelly Warner! Well done, Shelly!!! :-) Below are the presentations for next week. Remember, you can be as creative as you want to be! Each presentation should last no longer than 10 minutes.

• Anika Lowry: "What On Earth Is a Fork?"
• Elizabeth Kendell: The King James Bible
• Lewis Kendell: A Man's Home Is His Castle-- Housing for the Rich and the Poor
  

(If your student has not signed up for a presentation yet, tell them to see me before or after class on Wednesday.)

If you have any questions or concerns, please call me at 754-9916. Thanks for all your support-- I am enjoying having your children in our Y.E.S. class! :-)

Sincerely,
Mrs. Rachel Keppner, Mentor

Fall 2009-- Week Two

We had a great time on Wednesday, and I'm so excited to be mentoring in our YES class! Every week, you will receive an e-mail from me, telling you what the assignments are for next week.

A Parking Warning to Parents: If you are staying at the library during our class, you may want to park in the next door shopping center's parking lot. I understand that a few families got blessed with parking tickets on Wednesday. :-(


Here are this week's assignments, due next week, on September 23rd:

READING ASSIGNMENT:For next week, they should read the rest of Act I of Hamlet. We use the Cliff's Complete version, which is readily available on Amazon, and I understand that Hastings may also have it. This version is important, because we will also be discussing some of the commentary.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT:
Is it better to let others share our burdens? When you share them, do you make better decisions about them? Why or why not?

BONUS Question:
What does "mote in the eye" mean?

Race to Royalty:
Blythe W. read *4* plays last week, putting her well on her way to becoming Queen! Way to go, Blythe!!! We had several others read one or two, as well. I'd like to challenge all my students to catch up, and see how far on the "royal ladder" you can get this week! :-)

***PARENTS, PLEASE NOTE: There are many versions of Shakespeare's plays in movie form. PLEASE be careful and pre-screen the movie versions of the plays for your family. Usually the BBC version (with the exception of Hamlet, unfortunately) is fairly clean. ALL the works of Shakespeare have been filmed by the BBC and are available at Netflix. (Netflix.com) If you have a Netflix membership, they can even be watched for FREE online!

All of the play scripts are available for free online.

PRESENTATIONS:
We had some great presentations this week! Way to go, Monica, Brennan, and Hannah! Here are the presentations for next week. Remember, you can be as creative as you want to be! Each should last no longer than 10 minutes.

* Shelly W.-- "Roles of the Sexes"

(If your student has not signed up for a presentation yet, tell them to see me before or after class on Wednesday.)

If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me or comment below. Thanks for all your support-- I am enjoying having your children in our Y.E.S. class! :-)

Sincerely,
Mrs. Rachel Keppner, Mentor

Fall 2009-- Week One

We had a great time on Wednesday, and I'm so excited to be mentoring your children in our YES class! Every week, you will receive an e-mail from me, telling you what the assignments are for next week.

Here are this week's assignments, due on the 16th:

READING ASSIGNMENT: For next week's discussion, they should read scenes 1&2 of Act I of Hamlet. In this class, we use the Cliff's Complete version, which is readily available on Amazon. (Barnes and Noble in IF doesn't have it, but they can order it.) Before their books come in, they can easily find the entire Hamlet script online for free.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT:
"What does 'frailty, thy name is woman' mean? Are women more frail than men? Explain."

PRESENTATIONS (10 minutes each):

• Hannah P.-- "Religions of the Times"
  
• Brennan K.-- "The Wars of the Roses"
• Monica W.-- "What Did People Wear?"
  

Each student should have received a student packet, (let me know if they did not get theirs!) so they will need a 3 ring binder to store it in, and a pen or pencil for taking notes in class, and their HAMLET scripts when they get them. We will be discussing the reading and the finished writing assignments in class on Wednesday.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call me at 754-9916. Thanks for all your support, and I look forward to having your children in our Y.E.S. class! :-)

Sincerely,
Mrs. Rachel Keppner, Mentor

The First Day of Class!!!

Heeeellllllooooooooooooo Shakespeareans!

Do we have the greatest class?

YES!!!

Did we have great time today? (Say it with me now, kids...)

YES!!!

Are you excited for next week?!

YES!!!

Well, *I* sure am! :-)

You guys were great-- really good sports to laugh at this crazy teacher's wacky antics.

I think we're all going to get along just fine.

;-D

(YES!!!)

Information Meeting and Fall Semester Details

Hamlet: The play we'll study during Fall Semester

Good day, ye Shakespeareans!

At the end of August, we will have an Information Meeting for our brand new Y.E.S. class! I'm so excited!!! It will be THURSDAY August 27th, at 7:00 pm. Bring your prospective students, if possible, so they can decide for themselves if they want to join the Y.E.S. class! If husbands can't come, that's okay, but I do want both parents to understand what their kids will be spending time doing.

This is what will happen at that meeting:

• I will introduce myself, and share my philosophies for teaching scholar-age youth. (Ages *12 and up!)
  
• You will learn all about what the Shakespeare Conquest class entails; what we do, which play we'll study, and what the assignments are.
• We'll hear the opinions of former Shakespeare students, and find out why they think that Y.E.S. classes are so great.
• We will outline our field trip schedule for the first semester.
• Parents will be able to sign up as volunteers to help make our class and Spring production the successes they will be.
• Students will be able to register that night, and as space for this class will be very limited, those parents who register and pay at the meeting will secure their child's place in the class.
• Refreshments will be served!

Here's a brief overview of our Y.E.S. class:

• For the first semester, we will meet for two hours EVERY week, other than Thanksgiving.
• The Fall Semester will begin September 9th and end Wednesday, December 9th.
• The cost per student is $50 per student, per semester and includes a student binder and Shakespeare Conquest mentor packet for each student.
• Students must be age *12 or older by the first day of class.
• There is a maximum enrollment of 15 students per semester.
  
• Enrollment in the first semester of Shakespeare is required to participate in the second semester class and play production unless *special arrangements are made with me, the mentor. I will consider each student on a case-by-case basis.
• Parents are asked to volunteer their time and efforts to making our class and Spring Production a success. (More details about volunteering will be presented at the Parent Meeting.)

*Please Note: If you have a child who would like to join us, but won't be 12 at the first day of class, please speak with me privately, and we will talk about getting them involved in the second semester starting in January.

Class will be Wednesday afternoons from 12:30pm to 2:30pm. I am also looking for another potential location, as my home is 15 minutes north of Idaho Falls, and I'm trying to make it convenient for all the parents involved. If you know of a very inexpensive or free place that we could meet weekly, please let me know!

If you know of anyone else who might be interested in the Shakespeare class, please pass this message along. Please call or e-mail me with any questions you may have.

Thanks for your help and interest. We're going to have an awesome Shakespeare experience this year! :-)

Hugs,
Rachel Keppner, Y.E.Shakespeare Mentor
(208)754-9916 OR libermama at gmail dot com

Changes-- They Are A'Comin'...

Hello Dear Ones,

We actually made it to Idaho, and are trying to get settled in and all that rot. The Keppner kids and I are REALLY missing you all!!!!

Since we will be starting a new Shakespeare class here, and since the TJLAcademy has a new website (well done, Spencer!), I will need to change the Shakespeare Class blog to be local to us now here in SE Idaho. And it's attached to my personal blog profile, so I can't really pass it on to the new mentors. :-(

SO... if anyone wants any information from the current blog, please copy and paste it quick, since I need to change it to reflect our new location and plans. *sniff* Of course, those subscribed are still more than welcome to stay and see what we'll be doing!

And if anyone down there needs any help setting up a new blog, please let me know-- I'm certainly willing to help! :-) My e-mail is (and will remain) libermama@gmail.com . {{{HUGS}}}

Lots of love,
Rachel/Mrs. Keppner

Cast #1 Pictures!!!

http://www.mydeo.com/videorequest.asp?XID=9524&CID=265430

Check them out! :-)

The Play! (CAST #2-- Mrs. Keppner)

Mrs. Keppner's Cast

Both productions of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" went swimmingly well!!! (*YAY*) Mrs. Packer, Mrs. Keppner and Mrs. Merrill are soooo proud of everyone! Everybody's hard work and concentration really paid off!

Here are a few pictures from Cast #2:

We had some great rehearsals!

Oberon's and Titania's awesome dance


Rehearsing, discussing, consulting, debating...

Matthias asleep after hours of studying his lines...


The elusive Hippolyta (Hana G.) and the mighty Theseus (Ben McD.).
(Wait, he looks familiar... Is he related to Oberon?)

That lovesick Helena keeps sneaking up on poor sick-of-love Demetrius!

Thisbe (Lliam K.) and Pyramus (Preston K.) are DEAD-- we think...


In this picture, Matthias McD., Kimberly G., Hana G.,
Alyssa D., and Rachel W., are furiously studying their lines.

Choreographer/Second Fairy Charis D. teaching the dance to the fairies

Oh, no... Mrs. Keppner is STILL talking!!! (Coaching the Lovers)



Alyssa J. transforming into "Moth," thanks to the amazing Mrs. Nelson.



Lions and tigers and SAM-- oh, my! (Samantha J.)
*rawr*


The lovely Rachel W. as the First Fairy.
(We like to call her "Pansy." Note the flowers in her hair...)


Not only does Charis D. dance,
but she makes a wonderful Starveling/Moonshine!



We had a great Oberon! Aren't his "bodyguards"
(Noah and Cristin G.) cute-- I mean, terrifying?


Our "Titania" (Jean B.) was enchanting,
and our "Bottom" (Preston K.) was hilarious!

(L. to R.) Lysander, played by Matthias McD.;
Oberon, played by Ben McD.; Titania, played by Jean B.;
and Dave McD., our "Avenger of Lost Souls"
-- I mean, our Stage Manager.

Matthias McD. (Lysander) and Morganne K. (Hermia), are both 15,
and they're only acting like they're in love, okay?

As are these two: Demetrius, played by Brennan K.,
and Helena, played by Kristina J. He's 13, and she's 17.
They did such a good job!

The four married women: (clockwise, from the top) Titania (Jean B.),
Helena (Kristina J.), Hippolyta (Hana G.), and Hermia (Morganne K.)


Uh, oh... Puck(Kimberly G.) is in trouble again!



More pictures from Cast #1 coming soon!!!

The Merchant of Venice

Hello Shakespeare Parents,

Our third and final field trip of the year will be Tuesday April 14th. We be attending the Southwest Shakespeare Company's performance of "The Merchant of Venice".

The Place: City of Mesa Arts Center

Arrival & Seating Time: 9:15 AM - 9:30 AM

Show Time: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Who is invited: Shakespeare students, parents, siblings, friends (I wouldn't recommend anyone under the age of five. They will ask you to leave if your child is disruptive. However you know your children so the choice is up to you.)

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.
Mrs. Reya Merrill, Shakespeare Mentor
randsmerrill at yahoo dot com

IMPORTANT: Rehearsal Schedule

PLEASE NOTE:
On Mondays and Tuesdays, Mrs. K's cast rehearses from 1-3PM; Mrs. P's cast rehearses from 2-4PM

March
Mon. 30th- Act I, Sc.1: Athenians, Lovers
Tues. 31st- Act I, Sc.2: Mechanicals

April
Wed. 1- (Begin @ NOON) CLASS: Act I Run-thru

Mon. 6- Act II, Sc.1: Supernaturals, Demetrius, Helena
Tues. 7- Act II, Sc. 2: Supernaturals, Lovers
Wed. 8- (Begin @ NOON) CLASS: Act II Run-thru

Mon. 13- Act III, Sc. 1: Mechanicals, Titania, Fairies
Tues. 14- Act III Sc. 2: Oberon, Puck, Lovers
Wed. 15- (Begin @ NOON) CLASS: Act III Run-thru (LINES MEMORIZED!!!)

Mon. 2o- Act IV, Sc. 1: Supernaturals, Athenians, Lovers, Bottom
Tues. 21- Act IV, Sc. 2: Mechanicals
Wed. 22- (Begin @ NOON) CLASS: Act IV Run Thru

Mon. 27- Act V, Sc.1: Mechanicals ONLY
Tues. 28- Act V, Sc.1: ALL
Wed. 29- ENTIRE SHOW RUN-THRU: ALL

May
Mon. 4- (Begin @ NOON) Acts I, II Run-thru: ALL
Tues. 5- (Begin @ NOON) Acts III, IV, V Run-thru: ALL
Wed. 6- (Begin @ NOON) Class: Entire Show Run-thru (First Dress Rehearsal!): ALL
Sat. 9- (Time TBA) Nursing Home Performances: ALL

Mon. 11- 2-6PM Dress Rehearsal Acts I, II, III: ALL
Tues. 12- 2-6PM Dress Rehearsal Acts IV, V: ALL
Wed. 13- Noon-4PM Dress Rehearsal/Entire Show Run-thru: ALL

FRIDAY 15- 1-5PM Matinee Performance: Cast 2
FRIDAY 15- 5-9PM Evening Performance: Cast 1

SATURDAY 16- 1-5PM Matinee Performance: Cast 1
SATURDAY 16- 5-9PM Evening Performance: Cast 2