Theatre students spend countless hours every day in Wishart Hall practicing and studying the art and craft of theatre.
Students who decide to major in theatre at the College also have a different Independent Study (I.S.) experience then other students. Majors have the opportunity to write and perform for their study with the help of their advisor and often that of other students.
Tess Burgler ’09 is one of those students. She kicks off the theatre I.S. shows this year with her production of “The Original Shakespeare Theatre.”
Burgler has been involved in college theater since her first year here, acting in College productions of “Once on this Island,” “All My Sons” and “King Lear.”
Burgler’s versatile performances not only show her dedication and commitment to the craft, but also her love for performing on stage.
Burgler is known for her sparkling stage presence as well as her ability to transform herself into any character. It is hard to keep your eyes and attention away from her.
“The Original Shakespeare Theatre” will consist of three Shakespearean scenes taken from “Hamlet,” “Twelfth Night” and “Macbeth.”
“I hope to demonstrate a very simple idea with these performances,” Burgler said. “Shakespeare really doesn’t suck.”
Burgler explained that currently, numerous people dislike Shakespeare and she believes this is because of the way it was introduced to them.
“[Shakespeare’s] plays were never meant to be read; they were to be performed only. Shakespeare should not be an English class criteria ‚Ä” it should only be experienced in the medium of the theatre,” said Burgler.
Burgler explained that although her objective is simple, it is much more complicated in application.
“No one truly knows how Shakespeare performed his plays,” said Burgler, who got a lot of her Shakespeare knowledge from studying abroad in London her junior year.
She explained that historians have always had an idea of the costumes Shakespeare’s actors wore, the space he used and the time of day that his plays were performed.
“Other than that, much is speculation,” she said. “Were the scripts as we read them today performed word-for-word? Or did the actors memorize an edited and altered version that came about throughout the rehearsal process?”
Burgler’s I.S. project proposes to tackle those and other questions.
“My I.S. paper will compile a comprehensive list of the most effective original practice methods. Ideally, an actor should be able to follow these methods and produce effective, understandable and downright good Shakespeare,” said Burgler.
Burgler and her actors will be focusing on aspects like verse, meter, words and implied direction in Shakespearian text.
“We hope the result is relatable, effective and interesting,” said Burgler. “Shakespeare should not be algebra on stage. It should be understandable.”
If you are interested in theatre, Burgler’s I.S. show is the place to be for some downright good theatre.
“The Original Shakespeare Theatre” opens tonight in the Scheide courtyard at 8 p.m. Admission is free. The production also runs on Sept. 20 at 8 p.m.