Passaic Today

The world-renowned Royal Shakespeare Company has returned for its second year in residence at Montclair State University, offering students an opportunity to engage with Shakespeare’s work through immersive guest artist classes. The residency is part of a three-year pilot program in collaboration with Montclair’s College of the Arts, designed to give students hands-on experience with the RSC’s actors and directors.

Kathleen Kelley, Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, emphasizes the uniqueness of this partnership:

“The RSC partners with only a few schools in the United States, the two-week programme at MSU offers a unique, in-depth residency model. Our students get to completely immerse themselves with the practitioners all day, diving into acting workshops, directing workshops and culminating with a directed script-in-hand performance of Twelfth Night.”

The endurance of Shakespeare lies in his timelessness and continued relevance. Directors at the RSC always ask ‘Why this play, why now?’ Students work directly with Royal Shakespeare Company professionals to explore “Why Shakespeare Now?”—taking a deep dive into what Shakespeare means today. Through workshops on directing, acting, and teaching, students develop new techniques to perform plays such as As You Like It and Twelfth Night.

Kelley adds: “The RSC actors and directors are truly world-class artists who are committed to education. They are practitioners at the top of their game and are able to push our students to new places and challenge them to expand their artistry in entirely new ways. The RSC educational philosophy allows students not just to replicate customary performances but bring Shakespeare’s work to life in the modern world.”

For Montclair State University theater students, the RSC residency has provided invaluable growth. Kyle Ahmeer Bethea, a senior Musical Theatre major, reflects on his experience: “Working with the RSC on Richard III enhanced my text analysis and acting skills. The tools I gained from these workshops will be a lifelong asset.”

Bethea says the RSC residency not only boosted his confidence but also helped him refine his craft in unexpected ways. After completing his degree, he hopes to pursue opportunities on Broadway, national tours and cruise ship performances.

Shakespeare’s works continue to captivate audiences worldwide; at Montclair, students learn to interpret and perform his plays innovatively.

Kelley notes: “Shakespeare’s work is foundational to English-language theater and storytelling but the RSC shows our students how to make these works relevant by exploring universal themes like power, desire and human relationships.”

As the three-year RSC residency program continues, Montclair officials hope it will evolve into a long-term partnership providing future generations of theater students access to world-class training.

As part of the residency this month:

- A live rehearsal by RSC artists of As You Like It

- A script-in-hand performance by Montclair’s Acting and Musical Theatre students of Twelfth Night

These performances will give audiences insight into the creative process of both Royal Shakespeare Company professionals and Montclair students.