“Lessons From Shakespeare’s Classroom” released!

It’s here! My book, “Lessons From Shakespeare’s Classroom: Empowering Learning Through Drama and Rhetoric” was released a week early, and I already have a great comment to share from an early reader. Ginger Culver, an artist from Seattle and a friend of my daughter, read it right away and had this to say:

“After Ukraine’s President Zelensky addressed Congress the other night, the news media people were all marveling at how he —’just an actor’—turns out to be such an amazing president. I think your mom’s book explains why. It’s what people never understand about artists: that we do not just study our craft, we study the world—through our craft!”

I couldn’t have said it better and am so delighted that this was her take-away.

Be sure in the new year to celebrate the artists in your lives and in yourselves!

 

If you’re eager to read the book yourself you can order it here:

https://www.routledge.com/Lessons-from-Shakespeares-Classroom-Empowering-Learning-Through-Drama/Lithgow/p/book/9781032384078?utm_source=individuals&utm_medium=shared_link&utm_campaign=B030863_nrw1_1au_7pp_d876_november2022inproduction#

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Happy Holidays

In the spirit of the day, I’m reposting a blog entry from three years ago, posted right on the eve of the epidemic!

Happy Holidays!

Keeping in the spirit, this post is just to tell some of the history of the participation of child actors in the Christmas celebrations from the middle ages through the Elizabethan era. The holiday season provided light and laughter in the dead of winter in villages all over England, in the country manors of the aristocracy, and at the royal court.

During Shakespeare’s day, we know that schoolboys traditionally provided theatrical entertainment in villages, and there is evidence of dozens and dozens of plays presented for the aristocracy by the boys’ companies I’ve written about in previous posts.

               The Boy Bishop

The traditions go far back in time, and virtually all of them provided some sort of upending of the customary ways, liberally spiced with hilarity.

Let’s start with the tradition of the Boy Bishop, celebrated all over Europe, dating back to the the early years of Christianity. In English villages the Boy Bishop was traditionally elected on the 6th of December, the feast of Saint Nicholas, and and his authority lasted till December 28, the Holly Innocents’ Day. He and his entourage were usually chosen from the choir boys at the local church. During his rule the real Bishop would, symbolically, step down at the deposuit potentes de sede of the Magnificat (“he hath put down the mighty from their seat”), and the boy would take his seat at et exaltavit humiles (“and hath exalted the humble and meek”). The elected boy would be dressed in full bishop’s robes, complete with mitre and cozier, and his comrades would be dressed as priests. They would travel about the parish blessing the townsfolk and would perform all of the ceremonies at the church except for the mass. It was a solemn rite, but being boys, they most likely had some fun hamming it up. Except for a brief revival during the rule of the Catholic Mary, this custom did not survive the English Protestant Reformation; but it was still very much in evidence all over the realm early in the reign of Henry VIII.  

                     Saturnalia  

              Celebration of the Lord of Misrule

And then there were the Feast of Fools and the twelve days of Christmas, culminating in Twelfth Night, on the eve of the Feast of Epiphany. During the twelve days of Christmas, traditional roles were often relaxed, masters waited on their servants, men were allowed to dress as women, and women as men. Often a Lord of Misrule was chosen to lead the Christmas revels. The boy king, Edward VI, was especially enamored of this comic Lord, who played a significant role in the Christmas festivities during his reign. Some of these traditions were adapted from older, pagan customs, including the Roman Saturnalia. Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night was written for festivities  of this kind and delights in the audacity of the servants in the manor houses of Olivia and Orsino.

                     Christmas Revelry

   Boy Players in a Masque

At court Christmas was also a time of elaborate celebrations including masques, which always included “interludes” performed by boy actors, or “interluders”. Then, of course, there was the music. It is impossible to overstate the role of the voices of boy singers, thought to be the voices of angels. Entire cathedrals were designed as huge acoustical sound boxes to capture the purity of the sound, and that sound was heard throughout the realm during the Christmas season.

So Christmas rituals were a combination of deep solemnity and a raucous inversion of norms. Contemporary celebrations like the carnivals held in South America have their origins in the chaotic social reversals overseen by the Lord of Misrule, but I can think of no contemporary parallel during Christmas that is quite so colorful. Children have always been delighted by the temporary freedom provided by an upside down world. Today what Christmas means for children is presents. In those days it was the sheer joy and freedom of revelry.

https://www.robinlithgow.com/2019/12/

 

REMINDER:

My new book, “Lessons from Shakespeare’s Classroom: Empowering Learning Through Drama and Rhetoric,” is available for pre-order and will be sent out at the beginning of January.

https://www.routledge.com/Lessons-from-Shakespeares-Classroom-Empowering-Learning-Through-Drama/Lithgow/p/book/9781032384061

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Today’s the Day

Hooray! You can pre-order my book today at the end-of-year sale from Routledge. It will be released January 1.

Here again are three reviews from esteemed authors in the field:

From Eric Booth, Actor and author of The Everyday Work of Art, The Music Teachers’ Bible, Playing for Their Lives, and Tending the Perennials

”I guarantee that Lessons from Shakespeare’s Classroom will be the most surprising, most readable learning you will do all year, and that you will laugh out loud in every chapter. Zwounds!—hie thee to these pages most expeditiously.”

From Scott Newstok, author of How to Think like Shakespeare

“Lithgow’s book reanimates the Erasmian spirit of teaching in all the best ways: it’s artfully copious, humanely conversational, and models throughout a witty flair for drama. Her students were fortunate; now we are, too.”

From Louis Fantasia, Artistic Associate, Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles and author of  Instant Shakespeare and  Talking Shakespeare”Lithgow’s book

”Robin Lithgow has done anyone interested in Shakespeare or education (and more particularly those of us interested in both Shakespeare and education) a great service with her book. By detailing the classical grounding of Shakespeare’s writing she shows us the great tradition of which we are a part; a tradition that expands in its inclusivity as the world changes and evolves. This tradition is the “fertile soil” that contributed to the brilliance of Shakespeare’s generation and lights a path for our own. It is truly an “education for the benefit of the commonwealth,” which we perhaps need now more than ever.”

To pre-order go to:

https://www.routledge.com/Lessons-from-Shakespeares-Classroom-Empowering-Learning-Through-Drama/Lithgow/p/book/9781032384078?utm_source=individuals&utm_medium=shared_link&utm_campaign=B030863_nrw1_1au_7pp_d876_november2022inproduction#

Happy reading!

 

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Another Valued Endorsement for “Lessons From Shakespeare’s Classroom”

Lithgow’s book reanimates the Erasmian spirit of teaching in all the best ways: it’s artfully copious, humanely conversational, and models throughout a witty flair for drama. Her students were fortunate; now we are, too. 
— Scott Newstok, author of How to Think Like Shakespeare: Lessons From a Renaissance Education

I’m so honored by this endorsement! Scot Newstok’s marvelous book, How to Think Like Shakespeare, totally inspired me to finish mine and get it published. I’ve read it twice, refer to it often, and wrote about it in a post two years ago. I’ve always hoped it would somehow end up as a companion volume, addressing the same topic from a different perspective and, hopefully, inspiring others to broaden the field.

This is from the post referred to above, from early 2021. (It comments on only the first three chapters. I intended to write another post about the other chapters, but Covid happened and the world got very confusing for awhile. I’ll have honor that pledge now!):

What, he asks, are the ends of education? In Shakespeare’s day it was the training of capable and critical citizens  able to function “for the benefit of the commonwealth.” Today it seems to  be test scores. He tells a poignant story about his seven-year-old daughter who, upon being asked if she had learned any new words at school responded, coldly, in a whisper, “Assessment!” He goes on to say, “The reflexive call for educational ‘targets’ in current jargon makes me feel as if we adults have become like William Tell, cruelly aiming arrows at our own children. Our means (passing the test) have overtaken our ends (human flourishing).”  That is to say that if you take the long view of current trends in education, we are, in fact, participating in child abuse.

Bravo! Well said! Spread the word!!!

 

 

 

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Endorsements for “Lessons from Shakespeare’s Classroom”

I’m so pleased to have these testimonials from two author/scholars I admire!

This from Eric Booth, actor and author of “The Everyday Work of Art,” “The Music Teaching Artist’s Bible,” “Playing for Their Lives,” and “Tending the Perennials:

I guarantee that Lessons from Shakespeare’s Classroom will be the most surprising, most readable learning you will do all year, and that you will laugh out loud in every chapter. Zwounds!—hie thee to these pages most expeditiously.

And this from Louis Fantasia, Artistic Associate of Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles and author of “Instant Shakespeare”:

Robin Lithgow has done anyone interested in Shakespeare of education (and more particularly those of us interested in both Shakespeare and education) a great service with her book. By detailing the classical grounding of Shakespeare’s writing she shows us the great tradition of which we are a part; a tradition that expands in its inclusivity as the world changes and evolves. This tradition is the “fertile soil” that contributed to the brilliance of Shakespeare’s generation and lights a path for our own. It is truly an “education for the benefit of the commonwealth,” which we perhaps need now more than ever.

The release is planned for December 30, and you can pre-order it starting next Friday, December 9. Click here to go to the page to order.

Happy reading!

 

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It’s Here!

My book is finally coming out and can be pre-ordered as of December 9. I’m so pleased and excited! The release date will be after December 30, so not quite in time for the holidays, but it will be a great gift for the new year. It’s a fun and informative read for educators and parents who are passionate about empowering learning through the inclusion of the performing arts in every aspect of schooling.

My brother John Lithgow did the art work for the cover and a drawing for each chapter. The project was a family affair.

I couldn’t be more pleased with the Routledge Publishing. The whole process has been a joy, from the enthusiasm of their first readers to the support from their editors all along the way. Every first time author should be so lucky!

This book will contribute to the vibrant conversation among educators about renewing arts-rich curriculum in our schools. Follow the link here to order your own copy and share with others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Third Interview about “Lessons From Shakespeare’s Classroom”

This is the third (and final) interview done by my son, Dov, about my book, “Lessons From Shakespeare’s Classroom: Empowering Learning Through Drama and Rhetoric.” Here we continue to explore some of the reasons why incorporating drama into the classroom on a regular basis is empowering for both students and teachers. In the picture below, showing the fairies in a 1953 production of “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” my brother John Lithgow is Mustardseed, the fairy on the left, and I (pre-braces) am Moth, the one on the right.

Again, I have to repeat that “Slow Talk” is a particularly appropriate in my case, as I’ve been temporarily slowed down in my speech by a medical issue. I should be regaining my old speech soon. But if you have the patience, enjoy!

 

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Second Interview About “Lessons From Shakespeare’s Classroom”

This is the second of three interviews about my book, “Lessons From Shakespeare’s Classroom: Empowering Learning Through Drama and Rhetoric.” Again, the series “Slow Talk” is well named. I have to apologize constantly because this old lady can’t get words out at the speed she used to, but it was a fun conversation, covering the study of rhetoric as the powerful expression of ideas: style being the vehicle of substance. Next week I’ll post the final interview which wraps it all up.

I’m about to start the final phase of the preparation for publication: indexing! Apparently the galleys are next, and soon we’ll have a publication date. Stay tuned.

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Publication Updates: Illustrations!

Chapter 1: Magic carpet “Time Travel” to an Elizabethan classroom

Same book, new title! We’re moving ahead with Routledge Publishing and I’ll soon have more information about the publication date for my book. It will be published as “Lessons for Today From Shakespeare’s Classroom: Empowering Learning Through Drama and Rhetoric.” (We felt that the two previous working titles, “Good Behavior and Audacity” and “A Generation of Genius” were catchy but didn’t sufficiently hint at the content.)

Chapter 6: Timeline for “The Hatch and Brood of Time: A Brief History of the English Reformation”

In the meantime I want to share some of the drawings that my multi-talented, and infinitely generous brother has done for the cover and chapter headings. This first one is for the first chapter: “Time Travel, Setting the Scene,” in which we go back to look at Elizabethan classrooms, which always featured a space, called the “auditorium,” for students to recite/perform their daily lessons. The second represents a timeline for a chapter called “The Hatch and Brood of Time: A Brief History of the English Reformation,” which puts our brief history lesson into context.

Chapter 9: :Per Quam Figuram.” Juggling figures.

Chapter 10: “Erasmus Writes Colloquies”

“Lessons for Today” focuses on two strands of Elizabethan education, both of which require performance: the recitation of memorized lessons from classical literature (formal Latin) and the performance of comical Erasmian playlets called “colloquies” (informal, conversational Latin). Formal Latin required a working knowledge of over 130 rhetorical figures, tropes, and schemes, while informal Latin required a working knowledge of conversational Latin, the lingua franca of educated tradesmen and travelers in Europe.

These are just a sampling. There are plenty more to share. I’m so grateful to John for the fun we had coming up with the whimsical ideas for these sketches. They totally reflect the friendly and approachable tone of the book.

 

 

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From my Book

I haven’t posted in awhile, but the work continues. The two publishers who “absolutely loved” my book last year, but whose editorial teams passed on it, have both agreed to let me submit a revised version that will convince them of its currency and topicality. I’ve been hard at work on that. The working title […]

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