Offered By

William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet: An Actor's Perspective

University of Colorado Boulder

About this Course

Have you ever wanted to read Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet? This course will provide a guided reading of the script and expose you to the perspectives of actors who've performed in the play. It primarily consists of interviews with 14 professional actors who have participated in at least one production of Romeo & Juliet somewhere in the US, at theaters and Shakespeare festivals including the American Shakespeare Center, American Players Theatre, and the Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, and Utah Shakespeare Festivals.  
In completing this course, learners will be able to describe the plot of Romeo & Juliet, identify major characters and themes, analyze and interpret heightened text, and consider multiple theatrical approaches to the play.

This course strives to be of interest to multiple audiences, but we think it may particularly appeal to...
* Shakespeare enthusiasts and the Shakespeare curious in all walks of life
* Actors, theater practitioners, and teachers of Shakespeare everywhere
* Secondary school and college students interested in expanding their studies of Shakespeare
* Interested readers with little or no familiarity with Shakespeare

Logo image courtesy of https://picryl.com/media/romeo-and-juliet-12

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

No specific background required. Just a desire to read Romeo & Juliet and learn about the play from actors!

Approx. 10 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

By successfully completing this course, you will be able to describe the plot of Romeo and Juliet and identify major characters and themes.
You will be able to analyze and interpret heightened text.
You will be able to describe multiple theatrical approaches to Shakespeare's plays.

Skills you will gain

Acting
Literature
Textual Analysis
Theatre
Shakespeare

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

No specific background required. Just a desire to read Romeo & Juliet and learn about the play from actors!

Approx. 10 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Kevin Rich

Associate Professor

Theater & Dance

5,389 Learners

2 Courses

Offered by

University of Colorado Boulder

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week1

Week 1

3 hours to complete

Act 1: Introductions

3 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 90 min), 8 readings

10 videos

Welcome to Perspectives from the Stage: Actors Discuss Romeo and Juliet!2mTeam Capulet10mTeam Montague9mOther Players5mIntroduction to Act 136sInterviews with Actors: Act 1, Scene 112mInterviews with Actors: Act 1, Scene 27mInterviews with Actors: Act 1, Scene 313mInterviews with Actors: Act 1, Scene 411mInterviews with Actors: Act 1, Scene 515m

8 readings

Course Introduction1mApplied Shakespeare at CU Boulder10mCharacter List2mRead Prologue and Act 1, Scene 110mRead Act 1, Scene 25mRead Act 1, Scene 35mRead Act 1, Scene 45mRead Act 1, Scene 57m

Week2

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Act 2: The Courtship

2 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 78 min), 6 readings

7 videos

Introduction to Act 231sInterviews with Actors: Act 2, Scene 17mInterviews with Actors: Act 2, Scene 223mInterviews with Actors: Act 2, Scene 311mInterviews with Actors: Act 2, Scene 420mInterviews with Actors: Act 2, Scene 55mInterviews with Actors: Act 2, Scene 69m

6 readings

Act 2, Chorus and Scene 13mRead Act 2, Scene 28mRead Act 2, Scene 35mAct 2, Scene 49mRead Act 2, Scene 55mRead Act 2, Scene 63m

Week3

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Act 3: The Fight

2 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 76 min), 5 readings

7 videos

Introduction to Act 334sInterviews with Actors: Act 3, Scene 114mInterviews with Actors: Perspectives on Intermission12mInterviews with Actors: Act 3, Scene 28mInterviews with Actors: Act 3, Scene 312mInterviews with Actors: Act 3, Scene 45mInterviews with Actors: Act 3, Scene 521m

5 readings

Read Act 3, Scene 19mRead Act 3, Scene 26mRead Act 3, Scene 38mRead Act 3, Scene 43mRead Act 3, Scene 510m

Week4

Week 4

1 hour to complete

Act 4: The Last Hope

1 hour to complete

6 videos (Total 46 min), 5 readings

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet: An Actor's Perspective

William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet: An Actor's Perspective

About this Course

What you will learn

Skills you will gain