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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels June 24, 2004 Shakespeare in the park By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings A Washington state school took going to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival one step further on Wednesday night. Before attending a performance of "King Lear," about 20 fifth- and sixth-graders donned costumes, grabbed their swords and gave mini performances of "Macbeth" and "A Midsummer's Night Dream" in the front lawn of Lithia Park. Photo by Satsuki Doi | Ashland Daily Tidings More than 90 students and parents from the North Kitsap Options Program in Kingston, near Seattle, cumulated their school year by driving nine hours to see three OSF plays and to perform their school's Shakespeare productions. North Kitsap is a public alternative school program that focuses on the arts and attempts to encourage a love of theater from an early age, said drama teacher Bob Deweese. "We decided it would be neat to perform in the park for parents and those who passed by," he said. "It's really important for the students to see the festival and the way professionals go about performing Shakespeare. By performing here, they realize the large role Shakespeare has played and gives them a feeling and a connection to their work." Hank Veenstra, 11, dressed in full costume to play Lysander, was overwhelmed with emotion as he was about to perform, surrounded by trees, chirping birds, and a rushing stream. "It's different compared to being onstage at school," he said as he looked around the park. "Here, I'm outdoors and you got the river running and you have a lot of distractions, but it so much fun. We have been raising money to come down here all year and now we get to perform near the festival. It's amazing." For Hank, being able to perform onstage can't be beat. "I love that you don't have to be yourself," he said. "You get to be your character. It's fantastic." Greta Miller, 12, performed the role of one of the witches in "Macbeth" and has developed an affection for the Bard. "I just love Shakespeare," she said. "I love how it moves and I love to act. You can just let yourself go ... and show people what kids can do with Shakespeare." Being able to perform Shakespeare has changed how Hannah Cornelison, 11, thinks about the famous playwright. "Before I started doing Shakespeare, I thought he was just a dead white guy," she said. "But he's not, because he lives on through his words. Drama has not just changed me, it has translated me. Life now feels like a walking dream." Cody Jenkins, 13, has been impressed with the OSF productions he has seen, especially "The Comedy of Errors." "It's really interesting watching the actors and to see how they do it," he said. "It's impressive seeing them perform Shakespeare so well." He especially enjoyed Ray Porter's performance as Antipholus of Syracuse and his twin, Antipholus of Ephesus. "I thought he did really well just coming onstage and acting like he had no idea what was going on," Cody said. "He was just really interesting and was just so good." As the children's parents watched the performance with pride, they shouted words of encouragement when they came on, or took pictures to savor the moment. "It's really amazing their devotion to learning Shakespeare at such a young age," parent Elyse Trevors said. "It's so great to watch and see how much they have grown and coming and performing here validates all their hard work." Parent Patsy Bryan believes having students immersed in the words of Shakespeare helps them develop close relationships with each other, gain confidence, and have a love of literature and theater. "For them, it's much more than knowing their lines," she said. "When they finish with the program, they know the plays inside out, understand the back story and how it relates to today's world. ... They now look at the world through different colored lenses." DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams