Camp Shakespeare stages miniature ‘Merry Wives’

It took less than a week for Frances Evans, 11, to become “fearless” she said.

On the first day of Camp Shakespeare in Brookside, she was challenged to create a sound and a motion that matched her name.

“Frances!” she shouted as she did a cheerleader jump.

“It helps you learn to do something in front of a group because that is what you are going to be doing on stage,” Frances said. “It helps you not be afraid to do crazy and wacky things. It’s hard at first, but once you see everyone is doing it, it becomes much easier.”

By the end of two weeks of rehearsal held at Country Club Congregational United Church of Christ, 205 W. 65^th St., she and 20 other campers will present a Shakespeare comedy as part of the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival.

The campers, ranging from age 8 to 14, will act out a 40-minute version of “The Merry Wives of Windsor.”

“They learn the stuff and they learn it fast,” camp director Jen Lanz said. “It all has to do with them not putting up a mental wall against it. So, the first thing we do is do the biggest and boldest act with their body and get them to be expressive.”

By the end of camp they also will have developed character, helped create costumes, learned stage direction and learn an Elizabethan dance.

“First and foremost, it is a camp for kids interested in the arts,” Lanz said.

Through July, nine camps will introduce and educate area children about Shakespeare and his works. More than 150 children will participate this summer, Lanz said. Every year there are students who think the camp will be difficult, she said.

“Some people shut (Shakespeare) off because they think it is too hard,” Lanz said.  “But these kids who are 9 and 10 get it right away and they have no fear of Shakespeare when it is something they see later in their life.”

One of the biggest hits among campers is sword fighting, Lanz said. Not only do they learn to fence on stage, campers also get to decorate their swords.

Steele Schimming, 10, created a pink sword with polka dots and learned to strike and defend.

“There are a lot of strong, packed words that are hard to understand,” Steele said. “But they explain them to me. The games are fun, but you are also learning stuff.”

During the school year, Abby Kierst, 10, mostly participates in sports, but she said Shakespeare gives her a chance to do something completely different from her soccer schedule.

“In soccer, it is a lot of pushing and violence and a lot of physical energy,” Abby said. “Shakespeare is more mental energy. It takes a lot of focus.”

Campers complete Shakespearian word searches and crossword puzzles. They also review the play several times before a performance, she said. It can be easy for students to get caught up on phrases such as “You Banbury cheese” or words like “hither” and “forth.”

“If there are words we don’t understand, we talk about them and then we understand it,” Abby said.

“The Merry Wives of Windsor” is the story of Sir John Falstaff who comes to Windsor, without much money and decides to woo two wealthy women. 

Abby is one of two campers who has taken the role of Falstaff, whom she calls “a trickster.”

“It has more than one story going on and they come together in the end,” Abby said. “The audience will like all of the funny parts that make you crack up. It has a little bit of comedy and a little bit of drama.”

 FAST FACTS

The Camp Shakespeare, Brookside, performance is at 4 p.m. Friday, July 3, on the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival Stage in Southmoreland Park, 47th and Oak streets.

The festival’s main performance of ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ runs through July 5.

For more information about other camps or the festival, visit www.kcshakes.org.

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