Ashland Adventure: Shakespeare and Friends
2007 Exploration Seminar in Ashland, Oregon

**THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN CANCELLED AND IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS**

Program Director:  John C. Coldewey ~ Professor of English, & Todd A. Borlik
Dates of Instruction: August 21 to September 15, 2007

Shakespeare on the page is only half the story; lectures may help illuminate the plays but the classroom can never fully convey the inimitable power, humor, and pathos of Shakespeare on the stage. This Explorations Seminar, team-taught by Professor John C. Coldewey and pre-doctoral graduate student Todd A. Borlik, offers the best of both worlds. It begins with a three-week intensive tutorial on seven plays, four of them among Shakespeare's most celebrated: Romeo & Juliet, Taming of the Shrew, As You Like It, and The Tempest. The three other plays are Molière's classic comedy Tartuffe, Tom Stoppard’s On the Razzle, and Gems of the Ocean by the acclaimed African-American playwright August Wilson. After reading the plays together, we pack our bags and set off down I-5 to see all seven of them performed live at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland.

World-renowned for its innovative productions and highly professional acting, the Ashland Festival (the oldest in North America) features three theatre buildings, one of them a stunning replica of an outdoor Elizabethan stage, built along the lines of Shakespeare's Globe. The other two theatres are indoors, one large and one intimate, and they offer striking contrasts in their range of performances. The trip thus presents a rare opportunity to see Shakespearean drama performed in the authentic conditions of an early modern stage. In addition to seeing the plays, our group will be able to sneak backstage on Wednesday for a tour of all three theatres, conducted by one of the company's actors. Then, on Thursday, we take a break from our play-going for an excursion to famed Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States -- and the most spectacularly blue.

In Ashland we will meet in the mornings at breakfast to preview the day’s performances, and re-group afterwards to share our reactions to them. Written work for the course is two short quizzes (one on Shakespeare’s plays, one on the more modern ones), plus “theatre reviews” of three of the plays we see. “Ashland Adventure: Shakespeare and Friends” is a five-credit course that counts towards the requirements of English, though it is certainly not only for English majors; your academic advisor can tell you how these credits may apply to other majors, or to university and college requirements.

The cost of the Ashland Adventure course ($1850) is inclusive. It covers the cost of instruction, of transportation to and from Ashland, of accommodations and breakfasts for five days and nights in Ashland (double-bedded rooms), seven play-tickets, the backstage tour, some post-play refreshments, and the transportation costs and entry fees for the excursion to Crater Lake. 

A course webpage with more detailed course plans and information is available at Ashland Adventure 2007. Participants will receive 5 credits in: English (ENGL 244), Shakespeare and Friends. Participants should check with their academic advisors to determine how these credits may apply to major requirements.

Student costs:  
$1,850 Program Fee
$200 IPE Fee
Additional costs include: Health insurance, meals, and personal spending money.

Shakespeare Festival web site: http://www.orshakes.org
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