All the world’s a stage…

Editor’s note: This is the fifth in a series about educational grants.

By Jennifer Grybowski
Turley Publications Reporter

STURBRIDGE – Walk past classrooms in the English Department at Tantasqua Regional High School and you might feel like you are transported back to the seventeenth-century, thanks to a grant for “The Shakespeare Experience.” The $1482.12 grant, secured by English teachers Sean Cusick and Joseph Earls, was provided by the Tantasqua Education Foundation (Ted.) and allowed the teachers to purchase high-quality period costumes for use in the classroom.

“The challenge of teaching Shakespeare is that kids are intimidated by it,” Cusick said. “The learning curve with Shakespeare is really steep. We’re selling Shakespeare one play at a time.”

To Cusick, there are two ways to teach Shakespeare. One of them requires students to read the plays at home and then take a multiple choice test, much like the way he was taught.

“I go the opposite way,” he said. “I try to make it come alive. The works are a form of entertainment and I try to show them how fun it can be.”

The grant paid for about 14 full costumes and a lot of props, including light sabers (to be used as swords), wigs, battle armor, shields, vials and other items specific to individual plays - and a lot of fake blood. The costumes, which are large in size so that every student can participate, came with a rack to transport them, so that they can be used by other teachers. Cusick said that the costumes are not exclusive to Shakespeare and have been used by everyone in the department. Cusick said he has used costumes in his classes in the past, but they were handmade, so they fell apart.

“When I bought these, I wanted to buy professional-grade costumes, so they would last,” he said. “We stress taking care of them and everyone’s been really good about identifying that we want to use them as long as we can.”

More than 200 students have had the opportunity to use the costumes. Cusick said when they are used in non-honors classes, they have a more dramatic effect.

“A lot of those kids don’t get the same labels as the others and haven’t had extra special treatment when it comes to learning,” he said. “They are dying to use them, so when we get there, there is an excitement, an anticipation. Even though it might seem insignificant, especially for those other kids you are saying you trust them.”

To a freshmen or sophomore group, he said, it takes away the hesitation they have toward it.

“When put in costume, they feel silly, there is an excitement,” he said. “When you connect that to Shakespeare, it’s neat.”

But the students don’t just put on the costumes and read the plays. Cusick said in the beginning of the term, they do bonding exercises and acting games so that they learn to trust each other.

“Once they gain each other’s trust, it’s easier to open up,” he said.

He said once they get into the plays, he allows the students to pick their parts and choose their costumes. Then, they discuss their wardrobe choices.

“It completely changes how they perform it based on their costume choices,” Cusick said.

Students in Cusick’s honors Shakespeare class said they enjoy using the costumes.

“It brings a whole other prospective, a new connection,” Kallie Richards said. “If you went to Disney World, and you saw Cinderella, and she wasn’t in a ball gown, she wouldn’t be Cinderella.”

“It really helps us embody the character of who we’re trying to portray,” Breege von Bleicken said.

“With costumes it’s more fun and it helps you get into character,” Stephen Ross said.

“I’ve never had to dress up,” Jessica Lindsay said. “I’m always in the audience. So it gets you more into watching it. It draws your attention like a real play and I like that.”

Devon Batista said he thinks the costumes help make the play easier to follow because it’s easier to tell who’s who.

“It reminds me of movies, it’s easy to watch in terms of aesthetics,” Jocelyn Gozdowski said.

“Sometimes it’s harder to understand the story because the characters can be played in different ways,” Hannah Prescott said. “It’s easier to understand when you see it in front of you.”

“When you are reading it, it’s easy to zone out but when it’s in front of you, it’s easier to pay attention,” Amber Garneau said.

Other students said the costumes help them connect with the emotions of the plays.

“I can get in touch with character I play on the stage,” Cian Ashworth said. “I do better on tests when we have to analyze the character’s thoughts and emotions.”

“In the play, if you’re acting it out you can get the humor and the emotions,” Gozdowski said.

“We are no longer kids reading a book, you are actors set back in time,” Marissa Loughran said.

“You can see when learning is taking place and when it’s not,” Cusick said. “The first time they laugh collectively as a class blows my mind.”

It’s not just the fun that’s paying off for Cusick and his students. He said his students all consistently do well on quizzes and tests.

“They are happy to be here,” he said.

Cusick said working with the Ted. Foundation was really easy from the point of view of a teacher.
“I’ve written for state grants before and it makes you not want to apply,” he said. “But for this, you just have to identify that you have a great idea and how you want to do it.”

He said the Ted. board was “exceptionally supportive.”

“If you have a great idea, they want to help you get it in your classroom,” he said. “It’s unique that they pull in community resources to be supportive of teachers. I can’t say enough about it. It is empowering.”

A total of $11,612.91 has been awarded to six projects in the 2009-2010 academic year. For more information, visit www.tedfound.org.