Advanced Shakespearean Acting

Presented by Peter Francis James

To be held online over Zoom: 

Broadway actor and renowned Shakespearean actor and teacher Peter Francis James leads this special masterclass for actors, taking a contemporary look at performing and interpreting the works of Shakespeare.

In this workshop for professional performers, scenes and monologues from the works of Shakespeare are explored through table work, text analysis and discussion, and then rehearsed for presentation in class for critique and development. With the text as the fundamental teacher, we employ the specifics of language, action, subtext, circumstance, and relationships, to connect with the writing at the deepest most personal level, and, while referencing history, finding the common humanity revealed in the plays, and the continuity with contemporary life.

Peter Francis James recently appeared on Broadway as Barack in HILLARY AND CLINTON. Other recent Broadway credits include PRESENT LAUGHTER and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, and he has performed many roles in Shakespeare including: Othello in OTHELLO (Baltimore Center Stage), Oberon in Sir Peter Hall’s production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (Ahmanson), Coriolanus in CORIOLANUS (McCarter), Don Pedro in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (Central Park) and Pisanio in CYMBELINE (RSC and TFANA). Mr. James has taught Shakespeare at the Yale School of Drama since 2000, and is a graduate of RADA…read more

“I’ve seen the level of my work skyrocket in such a short amount of time that it’s ridiculous.” – Rachael Nicole, on participating in Peter Francis James’ OTHELLO workshop at HB Studio.