Act Shakespeare!

Starts October 19, 2026
Mondays, 6:00-10:00 p.m.
3 rehearsal classes: October 19 and 26; November 2

Public presentation: Exact date and venue TBD

Rehearsal location:
Waterloo-Kitchener United Mennonite Church (WKUM), 15 George Street, Waterloo. Entrance and parking are off Allen Street.

ACT SHAKESPEARE! - SHAKESPEARE IN THE PUB

Rehearse Shakespeare for performance, culminating in a public Shakespeare in the Pub presentation.

This three-week performance intensive invites actors into the rehearsal room to build an original adaptation for an intimate pub setting. The Fall project, HARRY THE KING: THE FAMOUS VICTORIES OF HENRY V, brings together material from Shakespeare's Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, and Henry V.

Rather than treating Shakespeare as distant or formal, the ensemble will make the language immediate, active, and connected to an audience. The work combines rigorous text exploration with the practical demands of rehearsing and shaping a live production.

Participants will work on:

- turning Shakespeare's language into clear, playable action
- developing vocal and physical confidence with heightened text
- building character, relationship, and ensemble connection
- rehearsing scenes with pace, specificity, and spontaneity
- working directly with an audience in an intimate performance environment
- carrying the work from rehearsal into a public presentation

Immersive. Epic. Intimate. Unforgettable.

The registration fee includes the three rehearsal sessions and participation in the final public presentation. The exact performance date and pub venue will be announced.

INSTRUCTOR AND DIRECTOR

The course is led by Paul Hopkins, an actor, director, and teacher with more than 30 years of professional experience. He served as Artistic Director of Montreal's Shakespeare-in-the-Park company, Repercussion Theatre, for eight seasons, performed in two seasons at the Stratford Festival, and trained under Michael Langham at the Atlantic Theatre Festival. In 2013, he was named a finalist for the Christopher Plummer Award of Excellence in Classical Theatre.