Rutgers' Conservatory at Shakespeare's Globe

Barbara Marchant and Israel Hicks from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, commissioned Globe Education to create its first one semester conservatory course for BFA acting majors in 2002. From 2003 the students have spent their entire junior year at Shakespeare’s Globe. We also welcome design and stage management students for one semester courses.

BFA Acting (one year)

Students spend their entire Junior (third) year of study resident at Shakespeare’s Globe. They embark upon a sequential course of study with classes in acting, voice, movement, text, dance and fight, while immersing themselves in London life, history and culture. Students learn about the Globe in its social, historical and theatrical context and are introduced to the language of a wide range of 16th and 17th century texts. They also work with Globe Education’s Southwark Community Projects team to help prepare Southwark students for a production on the Globe stage. The residency culminates with a production of a Shakespeare play in a studio space and on the Globe stage in front of an invited audience.

BFA Stage Management (one semester)

Students spend the autumn semester of their junior (third) or senior (final) year in residence at Shakespeare’s Globe. Students show-shadow Globe Theatre stage managers and assist on fast paced turnarounds during the Globe Theatre season. Stage management seminars introduce students to the particular challenges of working at the Globe and prepare them for a four week placement at a second London theatre to help them develop their skills within a very different theatre organisation. Please note that this course is open to bona fide BFA DStage Management students from other universities.

BFA Design (one semester)

Students spend the autumn term of their junior or senior year in residence at Shakespeare’s Globe and take weekly classes on life drawing, model making, project development and presentation skills. Globe model boxes are the chief tool for our design students. The course includes a two week internship with a theatre company, costumier or designer. Students then present their own design schemes for a Shakespeare production staged at the Globe or another London venue of their choice to an invited audience of theatre professionals and students. Please note that this course is open to bona fide BFA Design students from other universities.

BA and BFA Courses

While students from Rutgers study exclusively at Shakespeare’s Globe, modular courses are offered to BA Theatre or BFA students as part of their semester or year in London. Courses are currently provided for:

• Millikin University (BFA) - one week intensive
• University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theatre (BFA) - 8 hours per week for 12 weeks
• Syracuse University (BA/BFA) - 10 hours per week for 12 weeks