Translating Shakepeare: A Guidebook for Young Actors

For actors both young and old, the prospect of preparing to perform a Shakespearean role can be intimidating...even terrifying! "Translating Shakespeare" seeks to make the actor's preparatory work on the Bard's plays both stimulating and fun by de-mystifying the experience. It offers step-by-step explanations of the fundamental processes involved in creative preparation: comparing edited texts, analyzing verse rhythms, identifying antitheses, and most importantly, helping the actor to find his or her own personal key to unlock the plays' contexts and circumstances in inspiring way. Offering many specific examples from the plays in each chapter to illustrate the topics covered, the book concludes with detailed approaches to six Shakespearean scenes, applying all of the work covered in earlier chapters to a practical rehearsal approach.

David Montee was formerly the Director of Theatre at the Interlochen Center for the Arts for 21 years and has directed an acted in over 150 stage productions. During the past three decades, he has directed and performed over half of the Shakespeare canon. Dr. Montee has received educational awards from every institution at which he has taught. Many of his former students have performed over their subsequent professional careers in featured roles on television, in films, on Broadway, and stage companies throughout the U.S. and internationally, included Public Theatre's Shakespeare in Central Park series at the Delacorte Theatre, the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego the Seattle Repertory Theatre, the Guthrie Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company venues in both London and Stratford.