WillPower!

is our Education Outreach Program that works in collaboration with public and private schools throughout central North Carolina, to place a trained professional theatre artist in school for residencies from one day to 6 weeks in duration. WillPower! was developed to educate high school students about the creative works of William Shakespeare, along with voice, movement and playwriting. Led by NYU MFA and published playwright, Ian Finley.

 

February 2011

Burning Coal’s WillPower! education outreach program has an exciting month in February, with residencies and workshops at five area schools, and the culmination of a long-term residency at Raleigh Charter High School with their production of INTO THE WOODS.
This February, Director of Education Ian Finley will teach multi-day residencies at Brier Creek Elementary, St. Mary Magdelene Middle School and Apex High (residencies supported by grants from the United Arts Council of Wake County). These in-class residencies will cover a broad range of topics, from Shakespeare at Brier Creek, to musical theatre at St. Mary Magdelene and playwriting at Apex.  Single-day Shakespeare workshops will also be performed throughout the month at Raleigh Charter High School and Cary Academy.
In addition, Mr. Finley will serve as Musical Director for Raleigh Charter’s production of INTO THE WOODS, as part of a musical theatre residency that began in January.  The production will take place at Burning Coal Theatre at the Murphey School (224 Polk St., Raleigh) on February 11th – 13th  and 16th – 19th.

 

December 2010

Burning Coal continues its acclaimed WillPower! education outreach program this December, bringing hands-on experience with Shakespeare into area schools. Actors from the company will visit Leesville Elementary this month to perform Shakescenes, an interactive staging of selections from Shakespeare’s plays, tailored to an elementary-age audience. Director of Education Ian Finley will also teach a week-long residency with the entire 3rd grade at Conn Elementary. This in-class residency will introduce Shakespeare to young students in a way that is fast, fun, and active, so that when they encounter the Bard later in their school career they approach the text knowing how much fun it can be.