I was unfortunately unable to meet the OSHER participants last week since I was sick, but looking over my group members’ posts and planning for this next week has gotten me to start thinking about how OSHER will fit in with our Shakespeare project. I think it is an interesting contrast to have children playing the first three sections of Macbeth, and then having the older, more experienced actors coming in for the ending. It is almost as if the innocence and blind ambition of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth turns into their understanding and wiser remorse by the end of the play.

This being said, I am thrilled to hear from my group members that the OSHER participants have a child-like excitement towards performing with us. I think it will be productive that the older members of our play are more experienced with Shakespeare and are participating of their own volition, which will make them easier to deal with when learning the play. I assume our issues will arise more from our own lack of experience than issues with OSHER, but as the semester moves along, I am confident we will adjust well.

This week, my group plans to talk to the OSHER participants about casting and get roles assigned. We hope to do another read through of the play after figuring out roles. I am excited to meet the participants and get to casting!