ENGL 386/THTR 286 – Shakespeare in Performance

ENGL 386/THTR 286 – Shakespeare in Performance
Four credits; FDR-HL, EXP
15 days in England; one week on campus
Professor Holly Pickett and Professor Jemma Alix Levy

After more than 400 years, why do we continue to study Shakespeare’s plays? Why do they speak to people from so many backgrounds and cultures? What is it about these plays that continues to resonate with us emotionally and intellectually? What does live performance offer us beyond the words on a page? And how do contemporary artists make these 400-year-old plays relevant to today’s audiences?

Join Professors Holly Pickett and Jemma Levy for an exploration of the life and art of the most recognized playwright in the English language. This is your chance to dig deep into the plays from artistic, academic, and biographical perspectives while exploring the vibrant and historic cities of Stratford-upon-Avon and London. Watch performances from the top Shakespeare companies in England. Participate in workshops with artists from the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare’s Globe, and other British theatre companies. Speak with leading academics from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon. Visit Oxford University. And explore the history and culture of London, England.

Prerequisites: for ENGL 386, 2 200-level English classes; for THTR 286, no prerequisites.

Program fee (paid to W&L): $4,967
Includes programming, room, a few meals (~1 lunch and ~1 dinner), and most in-country transportation.

Additional costs: airfare, books, most meals, cell phone, spending money, passport, and visa/Electronic Travel Authorisation fee.

For further details, please reach out to Professors Pickett and Levy.

The information session for this course will take place on October 6, 2025, 7 pm in Stackhouse Theater (Elrod Commons 24).