The 12 plays of Shakespeare Out Loud average 69% of the Folio originals.
They are vacuumed of archaic and repetitive language, lineated as thoughts and carefully noted.
They are not dumbed-down translations, but condensed originals, as one might hope to find on professional stages.
WHAT CHAT GPT TELLS ME
WHAT I DID AND WHY
The truth is you need some courage and creativity to teach Shakespeare Out Loud well. Your success is measured not by essays submitted, but by the oral performances of your students. You need to coach these from them as a stage director might. You need to read the play thoroughly, cast well, schedule nimbly, listen intently, ask probing questions, articulate preceptively, while encouraging your students to improve their performances through practice and refinement.
I have included a rather lengthy page/recording for teachers. Think of it as YOUR ON-LINE, OUT LOUD, WORKSHOP.
FINALLY, Over the last 12 years I have given away tens of thousands of free scripts, have received several performance fees, three thank-you emails and no donations. I have a real affection for young people wanting to learn and develop their skills; I have a deep, deep loathing for the ingratitude of talent-challenged “teachers.” And if you think what I have done is so easy to do, you should vacuum Othello. Go ahead, amuse me. A memorized speech would also inform me of your craft and what you have to teach. If you are a boring performer, you need to practice, for your students. EVERYONE needs to practice! You think this speech just happened???
This took me several months to fully realize. Set a good example with some of your own practice and courage!