A Shakespearean Summer
by Catherine Thomas, photos by Erin Treadway
The day had been cold and rainy. I was ready for a weekend away from classes. Mom was out of town, so Dad picked me up after school. When I got in the car, he handed me a newspaper article that my grandmother thought I might find interesting. The American Shakespeare Center, of which I had never heard, was to perform As You Like It in Old Washington that night.
Driving for an hour to watch a Shakespearean play wasn’t exactly number one on my list of ways to spend the evening, but it did sound intriguing. At the last minute,we decided to make the trip. Little did I know that this “last minute” decision would inspire an unforseen love of Shakespeare and the classics, and present me with the opportunity of a lifetime.
Dad and I arrived just in time to grab two seats in the second row for some preshow music. The actors were playing live and seemed to be having a blast. The natives of Old Washington exchanged greetings and news all around us. We were in a gymnasium and our seats surrounded the performing space on three sides. The ‘stage’ was level with our chairs.
Suddenly, two seats directly in front of me opened up! I made yet another last minute decision and pulled Dad to the front row. The show began. There were no fancy lights or sound cues. The production was in the acting, and the actors interacted with the audience. Not even five minutes into the performance,they pulled Dad and me onstage to dance with the actors. The words made sense to me, and they were beautiful. Needless to say, I was “twitterpated”… with Shakespeare.
Theatrics has always been a driving force in my life. From putting on plays for my grandparents with my cousins to playing the lead in our fifth grade’s Romeo and Juliet, dreams of Broadway and London’s West End have drifted through my head. Theatre camps such as the TexRep Drama Camp and Troupe ‘d Jour Midsummer Day Camp, both held in Texarkana, have enabled me to develop characters and movements in a fun and easy way. I have used these skills in portraying multiple characters such as Mote the Fairy in TexRep’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and even George Milton in Texas High’s Of Mice and Men.
This summer I decided to broaden my knowledge and experience even more. Believe it or not, the American Shakespeare Center holds a three week intensive camp for teens at its home base in Staunton, Virginia. I have attended weeklong camps before, but the idea of spending three weeks 900 miles away from home scared me just a bit. Okay, a lot! My anxiety was eased by the assurance of hearing from my parents through text, phone, and letter.
I did my research and checked my calendar. Everything matched up, and I looked into applying. Registration was actually really fun. The application asked questions like “Who is your role model?” and “What’s your favorite food?” along with “Why do you want to attend this camp?” and “What do you hope to gain?” Answering these questions sparked my interest even more, and now excitement has taken the place of most of my anxiety. The only worry I had about camp was the cost. As with any sleepover camp, the cost can be very high. I made a deal with my mom to earn $1,000 this year, and through hard work and determination I have hit that mark!
I love the idea of finding activities and camps during the summer because of the lessons I have gathered from them. I have learned to accept diversity of characters and to cope with changes in my environment. Such changes, I feel, eased my switch from middle school to high school and, hopefully, from high school to college. I have learned as much from preparing for camp as I anticipate learning at it. In raising the money to go to camp, I have developed a new work ethic that I plan to continue to develop and enrich.
I am not entirely sure what this summer holds for me as I embark on this new adventure, but I believe what I have to gain is worth taking the chance. This summer, I encourage you to look for opportunities to introduce your children to new ideas. You never know, maybe they can open doors to dreams you never saw coming! I think ole Billy Shakes knew what he was talking about when he wrote, “We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little lives are rounded with a sleep.” We are made for building dreams. Help your kids to realize that this summer.
Cathrine is a sophomore at Texas High School and enjoys the constant companionship of her two kitties, Lucy and Ethel.
