A look into HRA's Senior Project tradition
Pursuing independent study has been a tradition for Hampton Roads Academy students. While Senior Projects are a requirement for graduation, they also present an opportunity for students to learn about a subject that sparks their curiosity, passion or interest. This year’s Senior Projects were wide-ranging. We will take a closer look a number of this year’s senior projects.
"Will Power: Why Shakespeare Matters" by Elizabeth Stanley
About her project: My project examined the ways in which directors and actors are trying to make Shakespeare more accessible to audiences in the 21st century. Last summer I had the incredible opportunity to study Shakespeare at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art—RADA, for short—in London. While at RADA, I studied and rehearsed a number of Shakespeare’s plays including The Winter’s Tale, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Much Ado About Nothing. This trip became Part I of my senior project. During the summer, I spoke with two of my RADA instructors—Brigid Panet and Melanie Jessop–to get their views on how Shakespeare should be done in the 21st Century. Last fall, Mr. Gandolfo offered me the opportunity to direct a One Act for HRA’s 2016 One Act Festival. In Part II of my project I put together my own One Act play, “Lovers’ Affections x 3”, consisting of three Shakespeare scenes showing different aspects of love. The scenes were from three plays with which I had worked in London: Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Winter’s Tale. I connected the three scenes with transitions I wrote in iambic pentameter to make it into one short play, then I cast and directed it for the One Act Festival. Finally, in Part III of the project, this spring, I interviewed Shakespeare professionals here in the U.S. on the question of whether Shakespeare is declining and what they can do to make it more relatable to modern audiences.
What was learned during the Senior Project experience:
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About her project: My project examined the ways in which directors and actors are trying to make Shakespeare more accessible to audiences in the 21st century. Last summer I had the incredible opportunity to study Shakespeare at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art—RADA, for short—in London. While at RADA, I studied and rehearsed a number of Shakespeare’s plays including The Winter’s Tale, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Much Ado About Nothing. This trip became Part I of my senior project. During the summer, I spoke with two of my RADA instructors—Brigid Panet and Melanie Jessop–to get their views on how Shakespeare should be done in the 21st Century. Last fall, Mr. Gandolfo offered me the opportunity to direct a One Act for HRA’s 2016 One Act Festival. In Part II of my project I put together my own One Act play, “Lovers’ Affections x 3”, consisting of three Shakespeare scenes showing different aspects of love. The scenes were from three plays with which I had worked in London: Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Winter’s Tale. I connected the three scenes with transitions I wrote in iambic pentameter to make it into one short play, then I cast and directed it for the One Act Festival. Finally, in Part III of the project, this spring, I interviewed Shakespeare professionals here in the U.S. on the question of whether Shakespeare is declining and what they can do to make it more relatable to modern audiences.
What was learned during the Senior Project experience:
The project allowed me to explore and develop my love of Shakespeare, directing, and theater in general. In the fall I was able to apply some of what I had learned at RADA to directing the One Act play. It was an incredible experience because I realized in a new way that a play is alive, it is always changing. For example, at first I tried to plan ahead -- staging and blocking scenes beforehand, trying to plan everything. Over time, though -- under the influence of the actors and where they went with their lines -- each scene took on a life of its own. While rehearsing a scene, I would see something that changed my mind about how it should look, how it should move, how I wanted it to come across to the audience. That's the beauty of live theater -- it's always changing.
This project gave me an opportunity to explore that in a way that I had not experienced before—from the director’s perspective. It was so amazing to see this One Act come together before my eyes as I thought about the staging, the music I wanted to use, and the lighting I wanted. The work of Shakespeare added to the joy of the experience, because I really needed to dive deep into the plays and explore their meanings, their characters, and their themes. I had so much fun bringing the whole piece together and using the themes and beautiful Shakespearean language and plots to tell these wonderful stories. Speaking to the Shakespeare professionals was also an incredibly rewarding experience. I am seriously thinking about pursuing theater as a career so meeting these actors and directors and getting their insight about Shakespeare and about theater in general was fantastic. I learned so much from them and I hope to reconnect with them in the future.
Senior Project advice you would give to younger students: This project grew my love of Shakespeare and theater, and I am overjoyed to have had the opportunity to follow my passion in this way. My advice to younger students is to do a project on something you love and to fully commit yourself to it. Go above and beyond the minimum requirement and reach as far as you can to the deepest level you can. That is how you will get the most out of the Senior Project and you may even make connections with professionals whose work and expertise you admire.
Senior Project advice you would give to younger students: This project grew my love of Shakespeare and theater, and I am overjoyed to have had the opportunity to follow my passion in this way. My advice to younger students is to do a project on something you love and to fully commit yourself to it. Go above and beyond the minimum requirement and reach as far as you can to the deepest level you can. That is how you will get the most out of the Senior Project and you may even make connections with professionals whose work and expertise you admire.
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