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Love's Labour's Lost
Love's Labour's Lost, Spring 2010. Austin Jensen, Felix Kallin, Scott Reinhard, Meghan Bernstein, Emily Thornton, Courtney Scott

This past Thursday was Shakespeare's birthday. In the Waterford Theater Department, we call it Shakespeare Day. Every year, we celebrate with food, treats, readings, and most of all, laughter about past Shakespeare productions in the Black Box. This year's celebration was a first: we celebrated via Zoom!

At Waterford, Shakespeare is the center of our philosophy and curriculum. We learn about his life. We read his plays. We do scenes and monologues from those plays in class. And most importantly, we produce at least one Shakespeare play every year. There is no theater program quite like ours.

Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing, Fall 2008. Topher Rasmussen, Matt Alexander, Austin Jensen, Courtney Scott

For years, I have watched Waterford students hold the most profound words ever written in their mouths, like white-hot coal. I've watched the meanings of those words ignite their bodies. And I've wondered: can they possibly comprehend that fire? Year after year, they show me that they can. And when they leave Waterford, they carry it with them to light the way into the unknown. For most of them, Shakespeare's work is seared into them forever. For most of them, "it is an ever-fixéd mark."

So here's to the 456 years since Will of Stratford was born. And here's to Waterford Theater.

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Fall 2018. Bella Thornton, Rain Tanner
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Fall 2018. Bella Thornton, Rain Tanner
 
Hamlet, Winter 2012. David Fishman, Rachel Brunner
Hamlet, Winter 2012. David Fishman, Rachel Brunner
 
THE WINTERS TALE and MERCHANT OF VENICE
The Winter's Tale, Winter 2008. Whitney Kofford, River Tanner, Andrew Mark (left) and The Merchant of Venice, Fall 2016. Aidan Matheson (holding knife), River Knight (right)
 
Twelfth Night, Winter 2016. Alexei Beall, Olivia Robson, Kyli Fox, Mason Miles
Twelfth Night, Winter 2016. Alexei Beall, Olivia Robson, Kyli Fox, Mason Miles
 
The Taming of the Shrew, Spring 2012. Zel Bromley, David Fishman
The Taming of the Shrew, Spring 2012. Zel Bromley, David Fishman
 
The Merry Wives of Windsor, Fall 2014. Riya Sahasrabudhe, Merodean Huntsman, Kathy Reynolds
The Merry Wives of Windsor, Fall 2014. Riya Sahasrabudhe, Merodean Huntsman, Kathy Reynolds
 
Timon of Athens, Fall 2017. Rain Tanner, Liberty Miller, Juliana Scheding, River Knight, Bella Thornton, Savannah Harman
Timon of Athens, Fall 2017. Rain Tanner, Liberty Miller, Juliana Scheding, River Knight, Bella Thornton, Savannah Harman
 
Richard III, Fall 2013. Robby Boyer, Merodean Huntsman, Kathy Reynolds, David Fishman, Kelly Reynolds, Brie Morrill
Richard III, Fall 2013. Robby Boyer, Merodean Huntsman, Kathy Reynolds, David Fishman, Kelly Reynolds, Brie Morrill
 
Measure for Measure, Fall 2019. Nina De Vos, Joss Gyorkos
Measure for Measure, Fall 2019. Nina D. ’20, Joss G. ’20
 
Pericles, Fall 2010. Lorna Balfour
Pericles, Fall 2010. Lorna Balfour

 

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