“Speak the speech as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue.”
For four hundred years, Shakespeare’s immortal words have had us rolling in the aisles, crying into our drinks, or contemplating life's great mysteries. Learn how to make Shakespeare’s language jump off the page and invoke delight or dole with Red Bull Theater's Associate Artistic Director Nathan Winkelstein.
Essential Question:
How do you approach Shakespeare’s text with knowledge and confidence, utilizing the clues and tools in the verse to find the dynamic truth of your character and situation? What aspects of an actor’s preparation are most essential when approaching Shakespearian performance? How do you engage honestly with Shakespeare’s text in high-stress environments such as auditions or self-tapes?
Course Objectives:
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Demystify Shakespeare’s words
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Learn how to use Shakespeare’s verse, text, and rhetoric to find clues about your character
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Prepare one monologue that you are confident and excited to use in audition settings
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Clarify the perceived difference between "acting for the camera" and "acting for the stage"
Enduring Understandings:
Actors will learn that Shakespeare’s language is not an archaic fortress that requires a knowledge of the rules to enter but rather an intensely honest heightened text with a multitude of tools that can aid and assist an actor on their journey to the truth. In this class, actors will learn how to demystify Shakespeare and his verse and find the internal truth of the character. By the end of the class, actors will have secured a Shakespearean monologue ready for NYC auditions and beyond.
For those who are steeped in Shakespeare but wary of the camera, this class can bridge that gap by showing that there was never a gap to begin with. For actors who have never tackled Shakespeare before, this class will help them dive into the power of his language and the deep emotional truths of his characters.
Instructor:

NATHAN WINKELSTEIN has been the Associate Artistic Director with Red Bull Theater for five years. He is the Producing Director of The Revelation Reading Series as well as the host of "Remarkabull Podversations". He also serves as the casting associate for Red Bull. Dubbed 'The Pied Piper of Shakespeare' by world-renowned director Des McAnuff, Nathan has acted or directed for numerous companies around the country, including The Alley, NYU Grad, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Shakespeare Theater Company, LCT, The Folger, American Shakespeare Center, and others. He has taught for Red Bull, STC, LCT, TGS, and Maggie Flanagan Studio. Nathan received his BA in Theater from the University at Buffalo and his MFA in Classical Acting from the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in the UK. Nathan is a proud member of Actors Equity.
Preparation:
You should have a classical monologue you wish to work on. You can also bring options of multiple pieces to work on.
Technical needs:
You will need a computer that can support Zoom as well as a decent webcam and microphone (built-in are acceptable). You will need steady internet that can support video conferencing. Front light is recommended as well as a quiet space.
Concerns? Questions?
Contact Nathan Winkelstein.