Shakespeare Lives! 2002 participants at the Globe Theater in London, UK. Kneeling Left to Right--Annette Schumacher and Jeff Shu.  Standing Left to Right Bob Moyer, Gerrie Blackwelder, Rae Leonard and Laurel Johnson. Not pictured, Lynne Murray

Jeff Shu ""I was a first-year teacher when I applied to the program with head-knowledge of such things as multiple intelligences and learning styles, but only a few ways to apply them.  Shakespeare Lives immerses its applicants in the real world of theater, giving me content area knowledge I would never have had. But it also promotes performance as an essential teaching tool.  The student buy-in shoots through the roof, with definite, measurable benefits for the students after grappling with difficult texts: self-confidence, historical contexts, character ownership, and vocabulary and context clue development among others.  The true genius of SL!, though, is that it gives the teachers these same amazing experiences - the pure joy of whole-body learning - along with the teaching tools."

Rae Leonard

Gerrie W. Blackwelder "The Shakespeare Lives! project was a turning point in my career as a teacher and learner. In London, watching the Globe players and performing on the legendary stage, I affirmed that Shakespeare had an amazing gift for teaching audiences the hard lessons of life through "play".

As a classroom teacher, I have come to learn that I have a responsibility to teach the difficult lessons of literature through "play" as I give my students the powerful opportunity to "voice" the lessons that they learn through constructing the scenes and developing "character" on the stage and in themselves." Click here for Gerrie Blackwelder's  School Web Site.

Laurel Johnson "Shakespeare Lives! has changed my life in many different ways, but primarily my teaching style. Through the methods learned in our workshops, Shakespeare has become a member of our class. The students are excited for a subject about which they used to feel, at most, apathy. Instead of just reading a play, the students now breathe life into what was considered archaic language written by some 'way dead guy'"

"Shakespeare lives! has not only changed my teaching, it has affected my students' learning. They're more open-minded, and they feel empowered. It's almost as though their logical and critical thought processes have improved."

"This program is more than a workshop -- it's for a lifetime. It's a unique opportunity for actors and educators to experiment with Shakespeare's words and concept. It's ongoing and life-changing for everyone involved -- especially the students." Click here for Laurel Johnson's School Web Site.

Lynne Murray "Shakespeare Lives changed me personally by making me more reflective in both my teaching and my life.  As a veteran teacher, I was beginning to wonder if I was continuing to make an impact in my classroom.  By getting students out of their seats to play, students became more engaged in the beauty of Shakespeare's language, in the universality of being human, and in civil dialogue with each other.  As a result, I feel energized and reassured that I have much yet to offer.  Borrowing from Glynn McDonald, Shakespeare Lives helped me "to gather so that I can give."

Annette Schumacher