Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival

The Linny Fowler WillPower Tour brings live, professional productions of Shakespeare’s plays to middle and high school students, including many of low- and moderate income. Designed to eliminate “Shakesfear,” WillPower helps students gain a better understanding of and appreciation for language, reading, and the works of the world’s most renowned playwright, and serves as an exceptional educational tool, helping to nurture self-expression and self-esteem. It deepens understanding, and fosters a student’s awakening sense of the tremendous power of language. It converts the fear of powerful words into a sense of adventure.

Each school receiving the WillPower performance has the option to also engage students in PSF’s workshops. A professional troupe of 8-10 actors/teachers from PSF lead workshops set to curriculum standards including classroom activities that offer direct experience of Shakespeare’s language through the imagery, arguments, and ideas imbedded in the text; fosters spontaneous creativity and artistic expression; and improves communication skills. These hands-on workshops are followed by a live, 80-minute performance of a Shakespeare play and a post-performance discussion. A study guide including historical information, classroom activities, and reflection exercises is developed through research over the course of several months by our Education Director. Each content item responds to one or more PA state standards. Teachers receive a PDF of the study guide at the beginning of the academic year so they can work the content into their teaching.