“Students often regard classical theatre, especially Shakespeare's theatre, as being impenetrable and irrelevant. ProjectExplorer, however, makes this theatre extremely accessible, contemporary and meaningful to young people. The value in this project is immense: great theatre artists like Shakespeare are important to study not just for the art of their words, but also for the artful way they comment on the society of their time. Through ProjectExplorer, students across the globe will gain not just a greater understanding of theatre but also a deeper knowledge of world history, politics and culture.

Last season we collaborated with ProjectExplorer on our production of Hamlet, and we are excited this year to expand our collaboration with more work together. In our 40 years as an Off-Broadway theatre, we have never seen an organization so committed to educating youth through theatre on such a global scale. Bravo to ProjectExplorer!”

- Jeff Janisheski, Associate Artistic Director, Classic Stage Company

Hamlet's Voice has been developed for our older students. Should you decide to use this lesson, you will need to access this chapter via the "MS" or "HS" entry points. You may share your ideas for this chapter with other teachers and parents at our Educator Network.

Objective: This lesson is designed to help students understand different theatrical devices used by playwrights to help tell a story. This lesson is also designed to help make students more comfortable speaking to a group and performing for others.

Lesson: Provide each student with a copy of the "To Be or Not to Be" soliloquy, from Hamlet Act III scene 1. You may also use the attached PDF of the speech. Have students read the speech before watching the video of "Hamlet's Voice". Once students have viewed the video, discuss the meaning of the word soliloquy and how Shakespeare's uses the device in the play.

Instructor Guide: Begin by dividing the class into 2 or 4 groups depending on class size. (Groups of 6-8 are good size for this activity). Have each team write a 2-3 minute scene for the other team to perform in class. Once the scenes have been exchanged and performed, instruct the team to insert at least one extra solilogy into the scene that was give to them. The soliloquy(s) must provide additional information to the story that was not originally there. Allow students a short period to practice the re-written scenes and perform them for the class.

Once all groups have presented the scenes with the added soliloquies; have students discuss how the story was changed by the new information.

Student Assessment: After completing this lesson students should understand the use of soliloquies as a device in playwrighting.

Curriculum Connections: Arts Education, English

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