Lauren Friesen, Ph.D. • International & Global Studies (Theatre)
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"Taking groups of students to London for UM-Flint’s special 3-week theatre course has been vital to the growth and development of my professional life. More importantly, I’ve seen the impact such an experience can have in transforming a student’s view of the world. New perspectives give them new insight into new possibilities. They begin to see new potential in themselves, new passions to pursue. It is a thrilling thing to witness inspiration take hold, miles from home, in a city like London.
We generally see 10–12 plays as a group. The students have a chance to interact directly with actors, directors, critics, even playwrights during our time there. They experience backstage tours at the National Theatre Complex and the new Shakespeare Globe Theatre, where our students participate in a 2-hour workshop on performing Shakespeare.
The group will also travel to Stratford on Avon to visit Ann Hathaway’s House, Shakespeare’s Birthplace, the Royal Shakespeare Company and a number of other important sites.
One of the major benefits of living in London for 3 weeks is the familiarity students develop with a large urban area. Within a short time, they are able to navigate the public transportation, locate places to eat and other interesting places to visit like the Victoria Albert Museum, the Tate Gallery, the British Museum and the National Portrait Gallery.
I always require a journal from each student. One student who spent almost all of her time making sketches of the history of British clothing exhibit at the Victoria Albert Museum later used the sketch journal to apply to graduate school for costume design. Another student used her studies on feminist theatre in London for a paper on women playwrights of the 70s and 80s. Another student completed a long essay on Shakespeare’s Globe and then used it as the foundation for the thesis requirement for acceptance into UM-Flint’s Honors Scholar Program."
We generally see 10–12 plays as a group. The students have a chance to interact directly with actors, directors, critics, even playwrights during our time there. They experience backstage tours at the National Theatre Complex and the new Shakespeare Globe Theatre, where our students participate in a 2-hour workshop on performing Shakespeare.
The group will also travel to Stratford on Avon to visit Ann Hathaway’s House, Shakespeare’s Birthplace, the Royal Shakespeare Company and a number of other important sites.
One of the major benefits of living in London for 3 weeks is the familiarity students develop with a large urban area. Within a short time, they are able to navigate the public transportation, locate places to eat and other interesting places to visit like the Victoria Albert Museum, the Tate Gallery, the British Museum and the National Portrait Gallery.
I always require a journal from each student. One student who spent almost all of her time making sketches of the history of British clothing exhibit at the Victoria Albert Museum later used the sketch journal to apply to graduate school for costume design. Another student used her studies on feminist theatre in London for a paper on women playwrights of the 70s and 80s. Another student completed a long essay on Shakespeare’s Globe and then used it as the foundation for the thesis requirement for acceptance into UM-Flint’s Honors Scholar Program."