William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” opens with passengers and crew scrambling to respond to the raging storm that threatens to split their ship in half. Clearly an enormous task to bring to the stage in 1611, without the benefit of modern stagecraft and special effects, the first scene of the play proved to be an ideal challenge for the six participating yeshiva high schools at the recent 11th annual Envision Shakespeare competition.
Co-chaired by Envision Theater director Rebecca Lopkin and SAR English and art history teacher Nancy Edelman, Envision Shakespeare brings together students with a passion for the dramatic arts for a day of theater workshops and competitive performances. Each school’s ensemble performs the assigned scene without costumes or props, except for four folding chairs that they are encouraged to use creatively. At this year’s competition, hosted by Ma’ayanot, students put those folding chairs to work as the helm and other parts of the ship and, unlike in previous years in which the scenes hinged mostly on the dialogue, tapped into their choreography skills to provide the illusion that the actors were swaying and stumbling along with their tempest-tossed ship.
The day began with a clip of famed Shakespearean actor Mark Rylance (currently starring as Thomas Cromwell in PBS’ “The Mirror and the Light”) doing a reading and running commentary on the scene, focusing on Shakespeare’s artistry in creating a hook for his audience. The beauty of the scene, according to Rylance, is that it’s totally unclear to the audience that there is a king and his entourage on the ship, hinting at the power of nature to erase social class boundaries; everyone appears to be equally at risk. The students watched Rylance run through their scene that they had spent so much time preparing over the last few months, many quietly but energetically reciting their lines along with the video.
After engaging theater workshops led by the professional teaching artists who would also serve as judges for the competition, it was time for the first round of presentations. It was tough competition among the very talented directors and actors from TABC, Central, SAR, Frisch, Ma’ayanot and Heschel. After lunch and a Shakespeare trivia contest that earned them a raffle ticket for each correct response, the schools going on to the final round were SAR, Central and Heschel.
At the end of the day, the winners were: Best Overall: Central; Runner-up: SAR; Best Director: Neima B., Central; Best Actor: Avigayil G., Frisch and Ilan R., SAR: Best Supporting Actor: Adiya C., Ma’ayanot, Tziporah C., Ma’ayanot, and Maya B., Heschel. Students went home with T-shirts, Shakespeare-themed prizes from the raffle, trophies, and of course, eager anticipation for next year’s competition.
The Envision Shakespeare competition is a unique program that gives yeshiva high school students passionate about theater and the arts a chance to shine and showcase their talents while engaging intensely with the work of the Bard. Lopkin and Edelman are already at work choosing next year’s scene and look forward to another enriching experience.
Check out Envision Theater’s website for pictures, videos and more information about the event. www.envisontheater.com. Schools wishing to join next year’s competition should email [email protected] for more information.
