Tag Archives: Shakespeare for kids

Summer Drama Camp in 1-week – a Simple How-To Guide

By | | ,
Leave a comment
summer drama camp fun

Recently I have been contacted multiple times on how to run a 1-week summer drama camp and questions around it. So, I figured I would write a post on how to do it and hopefully help any others who want to get kids excited about Shakespeare and drama!

First of all, YES, yes you can do it. It’s easier than you think. Secondly, YES, yes the kids CAN MEMORIZE all their lines by the end of the week. I’ve taught a summer drama camp over 20 times and haven’t found a kid who couldn’t be successful yet!

Continue reading →

Create a Performance Playbill

By | | ,
Leave a comment

This is a short post about an activity you can do with your kids as you get ready for the show.  As many of … Continue reading →

Ophelia’s Crazy Song

By | | ,
Leave a comment

Did you know Ophelia actually sings a lunacy song in Hamlet?  It’s sprinkled throughout the act, but here’s the basic text. Enjoy!


How should I your true love know

From another one?

By his cockle hat and staff,

And his sandal shoon.

He is dead and gone, lady,

He is dead and gone,

At his head a grass-green turf,

At his heels a stone.

Ophelia crazy 2 Continue reading →

Sneak Peek at Shakespeare for Kids Books

By | | ,
Leave a comment
Shakespeare for Kids

Many people ask to see a sample of my books.  So, I finally did it… here is the link to see a small excerpt from each and every title that I have.  Let me know if you have any questions!

Sneak Peek at Shakespeare for Kids books

Skype Classroom Visits

By | | ,
Leave a comment
skype visit

As many of you know, I visit classrooms and do an engaging, interactive, “Intro to Shakespeare” experience.  However, some locations are a bit too far to get to, for example, Wales, England.  I use that example, as I have recently conducted a Skype call with a group of kids from Wales! Other than having to get up at 5am my time, it was an incredible experience!  All the kids had their questions ready and in-hand and my face was up on the big-screen for all to see!  It was fun, as the questions could be about anything. So, of the 20 … Continue reading →

Classroom Visits – Intro to Shakespeare

By | | ,
Leave a comment
Shakespeare classroom visit

Over the years, I have done many classroom visits.  It’s such a wonderful experience for me, the kids, and the teacher.  It’s a quick 45-55 minutes visit, that consists of the following:

  • 2-3 minutes about me and Shakespeare, quick and simple
  • 5-9 minute solo TOTALLY interactive one-man show retelling one play (i.e. Macbeth or Hamlet or check out some videos below!)
    • Typically, I pull kids out of the audience and have them say lines or get killed during the performance!
  • Then we have them do their “auditions” (mine are COMPLETELY different than typical auditions)

Shakespeare for Special Needs

By | |
Leave a comment
Shakespeare for Kids

I have worked and talked with many teachers that have used my books to help kids with special needs.  As well, I have done many plays with kids with special needs, and the change and awareness that is created during the process is amazing!  Knowing this, I wanted to share an idea that I just received from a teacher.  Here is what she wrote:

I used your Midsummer Night’s Dream for Kids as reading material. I couldn’t get my high school special ed students to reread anything. Their thinking was I have already read that … Continue reading →

Monks and Grim Reaper Cape Costume – Simple

By | | ,
Leave a comment

So, I recently directed Oliver Twist for Kids and am about to direct A Christmas Carol for Kids. In doing so, I have come across a great costume that is both inexpensive and very effective as a fun kids cape to wear. As you may or may not know, there is a creepy villain, that is constantly referred to as the caped guy, in Oliver Twist named Monks. (Think of the villain from Meet The Robinsons).  As well, there is the fourth ghost in A Christmas Carol that is the Grim Reaper. Both these characters can easily wear the … Continue reading →

Portable Sides for Easy Stage Productions Anywhere!

By | | ,
Leave a comment
Figure 9 - complete assembly

So, I teach Shakespeare for Kids classes all over the place, and most venues I teach at do not come with stages. I’ve performed in gyms, dance rooms, dojos, boyscout meeting areas, and classrooms. One thing is consistent, I need a place for the actors to go “off-stage”. That is why I created easy-to-assemble sides, built to travel and make an instant performance space!

Below are the simple instructions for the inexpensive and portable sides. Once created, these sides take about 10 minutes to put up and take down, which makes them GREAT for quick performances like Continue reading →

Crystal Ball for Caesar – Magic 8-ball!

By | | ,
Leave a comment
magic 8-ball

So, I always have fun and do my best to work the laughs for the audience in my melodramatic Shakespeare for Kids plays.  That’s certainly true with my performance of Julius Caesar for Kids! I used one specific prop to get some laughs. The Magic 8 Ball! (find it here on Amazon) That’s right, the soothsayer came out to warn Caesar about the “Ides of March” and then pulled out the Magic 8-ball to prove it so! The audience loved it, and, more importantly, the kids loved using it! Fun for all!

Enjoy! Continue reading →