By Bridget Burke Weiss, Community After School Program Director and professional actress currently appearing at the Darress Theater in "Sordid Lives"

Thanks to a kind contribution from the Adrienne and Dillard S. Kirby Family Fund, three fortunate Boonton children, members of the CASP, had the opportunity to train with the Shakespeare of NJ Junior Corps this summer. This program introduces a small group of children ages 10-13 to the world of Shakespeare and acting performance.

Junior Corps takes place for two weeks at Drew University in the new Dorothy Young Arts Center.

CASP students Christopher Torres age 10, Antoinette Johnson age 11 and Alexia Hewitt (alumna) age 11, all participated in a two-week intensive acting camp given by The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey held at Drew University in Madison.

Here the children were introduced to Shakespeare's plays as well as acting techniques, stage combat, voice production and diction. They studied Shakespeare's classic "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar" and performed a condensed version of "The Tempest" to a packed audience of families and friends on Saturday, August 6th.

The following interview took place at a CASP CAST DINNER PARTY at Friendly's restaurant in Madison, NJ (chicken fingers and ice cream were the popular menu du jour)

Q: What did you envision Shakespeare of NJ Junior Corps to be like?

A: Chris—"I thought it would be easy—but I didn't know they would make me do a real play. I wanted to quit."

Antoinette—"I thought it was going to be really hard and I wouldn't know anybody.

Alexia—"I thought it would be the same as last summer but it was totally different".

Q: What did you think after the first day?

Chris—"I thought it was easy and a little corny."

Antoinette—"I thought it was easy and fun!"

Alexia—"I thought—I can't wait to come tomorrow!"

Q: Tell me one thing you learned about Shakespeare.

Chris—"His plays make no sense to most young people until you study them."

Antoinette—"He wrote A LOT of plays. The words are crazy! It's hard to understand them."

Chris—"Yeah—except it 'It's Greek to me!' That I get!"

Alexia—"I learned that in Shakespeare plays, they used boys to play girls and they even kissed!"

Q: What do you think the moral is in the play "Julius Caesar?

Chris—"Don't be greedy."

Antoinette—"Friends shouldn't turn their backs on each other."

Alexia—"It's mean to back stab."

Chris—"Caesar loved the poor and the poor loved him—which made him a good ruler."

Q: What was the hardest part of performing a play?

Chris—"Projecting."

Antoinette—"Getting over stage fright!"

Alexia—"Saying all my lines—because I was scared—but I got through it!"

Q: How do you think this will help you in school this fall?

Chris—"It gives you an edge at auditions."

Antoinette—"If you have a school play to do — it will help you."

Alexia—"It will help me have more confidence."

Q: "What was the best part of this experience—besides the chicken fingers?"

Chris—"Our afternoon break. We got to eat our snacks together, play ping-pong and watch the Japanese and Italian Channel."

Antoinette—"Making new friends and acting with people!"

Alexia—"Playing all the theatre games—they were really fun! Bus Stop was my favorite. I also really liked learning my part."

Q: "What do you think the most important thing that you learned from this experience is?"

Chris—"That it takes more than one try to get a play right!"

Antoinette—"How to act on a stage and not be afraid!"

Alexia—"Not to be shy."

NJ Shakespeare "A Midsummer's Night Dream"

This past May, the children and staff of CASP were once again treated to a professional performance of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer's Night Dream" by the touring company of Shakespeare LIVE!

This program is designed to help introduce school age children to the works of Shakespeare through classroom study and live performance.

Once again the children had a field trip to the historic Darress Theatre in downtown Boonton and were entertained by a rousing production of this whimsical classic with fairies, star crossed lovers and a spellbound donkey.

For the children luckily enough to see this show a second year in a row — it was a hit! Prior group discussions of the performance last year piqued the new student's curiosity about the humor and slap stick aspects of the show and the excitement of going on a field trip! Everyone had a great time and the children who had an encore performance understood the play on different levels the second time around.

The acting company was very impressed with the children's poignant questions after the show and their impeccable manners as audience members during the show! Bravo! Thank you Shakespeare LIVE!