Shaking Hands with Shakespeare: A Teenager's Guide to Reading and Performing the Bard

Shaking Hands with Shakespeare: A teenager's Guide to Reading and Performing the Bard is a wonderful supplement to the study of Shakespeare. I was looking for a book that was accessible to my students, one that would demystify the approach to reading and performing. There are many books out there and assembling a library is not an option for my students. This book includes drama terms that are defined on the sides of the pages, it includes fun and helpful activities for the students, and it is written in an accessible prose. The language is not intimidating or overly academic and can be accessed by my ESL students (intermediate/advanced). The content is broken down into accessible chunks that allow it to be used as a supplement to the other materials I use in the classroom. It will be on the recommended purchase/read list I distribute to my students.

I am a free lance theatre-artist living and working in Minneapolis. When I was asked to teach a Shakespeare class for teens at the Tony award winning Children's Theatre Company, I jumped at the chance but was also a bit apprehensive! A friend recommended Allison Schumacher's book. What a delightful surprise. The book saved my life! It became an easy, sweet and simple compliment to Mr. Shakespeare's enormous body of work. The pieces suddenly fell into place. Ms. Schumacher's mix of humor and organized logic is astounding. The book is also a great read and a great friend to the teaching artist. Her passion and excitement for the Bard's work leaps off the pages and inspires students and teacher alike!

As a middle school humanities teacher, I found this book very helpful when I decided to tackle "A Midsummer Night's Dream" this past school year with my 8th graders. Though I'd read some Shakespeare on my own, I had never taught it, so reading this book was a great way to "get my feet wet" before introducing the play to my students. One of the things I felt was most helpful were the definitions provided in sidebars throughout the chapters. From these, I compiled a list of "Shakespeare vocabulary" that served as a quick reference for my students (there is also a thorough glossary in the Appendix). I also appreciated the narrative style of the book-- though it is directed towards teens, I found it fun and easy to read as an adult, and it helped me to see approaching Shakespeare from the perspective of a middle schooler. I also liked the background information that Schumacher provided, especially about Elizabethan England, which helped give me a context for the plays, which I could then pass on to my students. This was a handy reference book to use while teaching Shakespeare, and the Appendices are also helpful in breaking down famous lines, categorizing films made of Shakespearean works, summarizing the activities, and providing a comprehensive glossary. I'd highly recommend this to teachers attempting to tackle Shakespeare with teenagers!

Shaking Hands with Shakespeare helps to make Shakespeare far less intimidating and way more accessible. It is unusual to find books of this sort that are written directly for students as opposed to drama educators (though it is an excellent guide for educators as well). Ms. Schumacher uses easy language with contemporary and humorous references (in talking about acting being a subjective craft, she uses Keanu Reeves as an example-some think he is brilliant, others thinks he is "little more than a chimpanzee with a script.") to relate to teenage readers. The book gives the complete guide to Shakespeare including historical background, his language, types of plays and characters, and how to perform his plays. It even gives "An Annotated List of Shakespeare's Plays on Film" in the appendix which is charted and extremely easy to follow!! What teen (or teacher) would not love this?! This book is not just for teens who are interested in performing, but also for those who are required to read Shakespeare, emphasizing that his plays were meant to be heard, seen, and performed--not just read. In doing so, Ms. Schumacher introduces many great activities that anyone can do to read the plays out loud and experience them physically. When you look at it through her eyes and with her expertise, you understand that Shakespeare did not write plays exclusively for the educated and the wealthy. He wrote them for everyone. And when we understand his language, characters, and intentions, his plays are timeless and exciting.

As a theatre educator, I found Shaking Hands with Shakespeare to be a great combination of practical approaches and fun activities. Acting suggestions and tips for attending the theatre in the same book as text analysis and character studies. Kind of like one stop shopping, but with no skimping on the content. A great, non-threatening way of introducing a gigantic and intimidating subject. The clear language and unforced humor will appeal to young audiences. Interesting historical tidbits and modern parallels make this book an enjoyable read for any age. Who wouldn't like a Shakespeare book that subtly -slams Keanu Reeves? At the same time, it doesn't slip into that annoying "I am so modern and hip just like you kids" attitude that nobody likes. The layout is clean and is easy to follow emphasizing key words and activities. Although some of the class room activities are certainly not for the faint of heart (like serving an Elizabethan feast) most are certainly doable (like creating a scene with well known characters on a modern day talk show). A good rhythm of reading and then doing is established early in the book. I especially like the sections that involve paraphrasing text, both in writing and verbally with a partner. I am certain I will include some of the activities in my next production. I know I will be recommending this one to students and fellow teachers alike.