HENRY V
OCTOBER 2019, DIRECTED BY MEGAN GARBRICK
“O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention,
A kingdom for a stage, princes to act
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!”
“For ‘tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings,
Carry them here and there; jumping o’er times,
Turning the accomplishment of many years
Into an hour-glass.”
HENRY V - JULY 2015, DIRECTED BY WILLIAM WOLFGANG & MEGAN KITZMILLER
“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more!”
Shakespeare’s account of one of England’s most famous kings provided an exciting opening performance for the Dover Youth Shakespeare Academy in July of 2015. Henry V tells the story of a charismatic leader who unites all of his people under unwavering leadership. King Henry has the goal of conquering all of France, something he considers to be his birthright. This energizing and comical version of one of Shakespeare’s greatest war stories was the first theatrical performance for many young actors.
DIRECTOR'S NOTES
Storytelling is at the root of Shakespeare’s work, and through these texts that we can learn about history, culture, and even language. Does this sound like several school lessons in one location? This is how the Dover Youth Shakespeare Academy (DYSA) came to life.
After performing in several Shakespeare plays with OrangeMite, I have worked with a few younger cast members. They came to rehearsals with open minds and acted with excitement. Not only were they hanging out with the big kids, but they got to play with swords or dress in fancy costumes. However, there was not much more for children to do. Shakespeare does not include many younger roles in his plays, yet his stories are full of entertaining action and relatable characters that should be accessed more often by young people. Then who better to put in place of the big kids, to learn this challenging language, and to emulate real human interactions than children? Children naturally observe and imitate. Their curiosity exceeds no bounds. This is what makes the DYSA recipe so perfect.
To be able to have this opportunity to work with our first group of students in this program is exciting, challenging, and rewarding. As a teacher, I see the young learners accept such challenges head on because they are ready to show everyone what they are capable of. It is also not every day we see children performing Shakespeare to this level. However, I can proudly say that from the moment of arrival this group was ready to learn, not just everything that comes with acting but also the education that comes with Shakespeare. These kids are ready to tell one of Shakespeare’s stories. I know there is much you will learn from them in return.
Megan Kitzmiller, Co-Director
CHECK OUT CLIPS OF THE PRODUCTION ON ORANGEMITE'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL!
