Playing The Bard: Shakespeare In Performance Course with Sally McLean

Earlybird booking discount available for a limited time! Use "EARLYBIRD" at checkout to get 25% off the listed price for this class. Finishes January 15, 2025.

Want to finally get to grips with Shakespeare? Looking for more options for your toolkit to enable you to delve deeper into performing his works with authenticity? Or do you feel you should be able to "do Shakespeare", or have to "do Shakespeare" for a gig or at school, but just don't know where to start?

Internationally award-winning Shakespeare Actor & Director, Sally McLean, is back to guide you through her unique set of techniques and exercises to finally conquer Shakespeare's language and truly make it your own with her Playing The Bard: Shakespeare In Performance course, live in an online small group class for a limited time, and bookings are open now. Don't miss your chance to work with one of the best!

Come join Sally through the month of February and stretch your wings in the Shakespeare realm in a fun, supportive and transformational online space, working with a multi award-winning and critically acclaimed director of Shakespeare.

Using techniques developed over ten years of developing and directing Shakespeare for the screen and stage, including internationally acclaimed digital series' Shakespeare Republic, Walking Shadows and Dark Arcadia as well as her years of teaching Shakespeare at institutions such as the Howard Fine Acting Studio Australia and the Equity Foundation, plus her extensive experience playing Shakespeare on stage and screen in both Australia and the UK, Sally brings all her knowledge and expertise to this 4 week class, enabling actors to delve deep into Shakespeare’s text, get grounded and embody character, while making Shakespeare’s language their own.

“… polished, beautifully made series from director/producer Sally McLean … a fine use of the platform and, more importantly, a very fine adaptation of the Bard … Shakespeare Republic is put together with grace and wit. An assortment of actors do terrific work making the (non-dumbed down) dialogue accessible, prying it open with great care and skill.” - THE GUARDIAN

CLASS INFORMATION:

Students will be assigned a Shakespeare monologue each and then work intensively on that piece over the space of four classes – one class a week - with renowned Shakespeare teacher and award-winning actor and director, Sally McLean. 

Beginners through to advanced level students welcome, from ages 17 up to 70 (and beyond), as the work will be tailored to each individual student and where they are at with Shakespeare. 

All classes are included in the price stated. This class will also be open to auditors (observers) who will learn by observing the participants at work during the class.

Participant bookings close January 31st to give time to assign monologues. Auditor bookings will continue until February 25.

To access the class, you will need the Zoom software downloaded to your computer, laptop or mobile and a stable internet connection. You can download Zoom for free here: https://zoom.us/download

“McLean’s combined expertise is on full display in Shakespeare Republic, which features both a critical eye and ear to Shakespeare’s text, and high production values for a series of this kind … Shakespeare Republic disrupts and refracts traditional approaches to Shakespeare’s plays … the vignettes are themselves a metaphorical gauntlet thrown down to the viewer, daring them to imagine what a full production in this world might look like.” - BORROWERS AND LENDERS: THE JOURNAL OF SHAKESPEARE AND APPROPRIATION

OUTCOME: The chance to achieve a deeper understanding of Shakespeare interpretation and performance at a professional level, adding portable tools to your acting toolbox that will be useful in performing Shakespeare, but can be applied to all performance texts, learning through guided experience.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Am I too young/old to do this class?
This class is for students aged 17-70 years old - and beyond! You are never too old to learn and all ages 17 and up are welcome.

Do I need to know anything about Shakespeare to do this class?
No! Sally will work with each student from where they are in regards to experience with Shakespeare - whether you are a total novice, experienced performer or somewhere in-between. While the exercises and general outline of the course will be the same for everyone, each student will have tailored guidance, working with their experience level. This way all students get to learn from watching each other, as well as from Sally.

“Sally is born to teach and provides a safe, inspiring and creative work place. It was fun, challenging, exciting and inspiring to be a part of such a wonderful class. I highly recommend that everyone does this course. Being an actor, Sally understands so much more and her knowledge of Shakespeare is just phenomenal.”  – SARAH HALLAM (Actor, Director & Casting Director)

Participants will get:

• A deeper understanding of Shakespeare performance technique;
• Advice and guidance from a Shakespeare teacher and award-winning director with a vast knowledge of Shakespeare performance & interpretation; 
• An understanding of working with Shakespeare text using an acting process that is based in real technique and practical application; 
• The chance to activate and explore your creativity and self-expression; and
• Membership to the private "Playing The Bard" Facebook group for all previous students, where you can connect and network with others in the industry over the years who have done this work.

Requirements for Participants:

• A stable internet connection, webcam/mobile phone camera and microphone
• A quiet space in your home or office without distractions
• The ability to "make place" in your home/office - i.e. create a set, costumes and props for your character to perform in class

Requirements for Auditors:

• A notebook and pen/pencil to take any notes.
• A stable internet connection
  

Additional notes about the class:

• Participants are requested to wear loose clothing that allows them to move.
• All our teachers have current Working With Children permits

"The time and effort Sally put into working with each individual performer said everything to me – everyone matters, everyone is important. Nothing was generic – everything was specific, an observation on the work you were doing right there and then. Sally is a total delight, supportive, and encourages you to push yourself further than you knew you could. It was fantastic. Thank you Sally for encouraging me to believe in myself – and not just in regards to Shakespeare!" – JAKLENE VUKASINOVIC: Actor, Producer & Leading Improvisation Teacher

CLASS DETAILS:

TEACHER: Sally McLean

AGE GROUP FOR PARTICIPANTS: 
17-70 (and beyond) years old

DATE/S:
Wednesday, February 5, 2024,
Wednesday, February 12, 2024,
Wednesday, February 19, 2024 &
Wednesday, February 26, 2024

HOURS:
7.00pm-10.00pm each day
(4 days, 12 contact hours total)

PAYMENT:
Each ticket attracts a ticket fee that is paid to Humanitix. We have absorbed 50% of that fee to make things more affordable for our students. The remaining amount, plus an additional booking fee of $0.99 per ticket will also be added to your transaction total at checkout.

We accept Afterpay, PayPal, Zip, American Express, MasterCard and VISA as payment options and all transactions are securely processed on our ticketing partner website Humanitix. We choose to partner with Humanitix because they donate 100% of profits from their ticket booking fees to charity, which is awesome.

Full Information about the Playing The Bard programs: https://www.playingthebard.com

Header photo: Sally McLean teaching in person at the Howard Fine Acting Studio. Photo by Sarah Clarke.