Mayor AC Wharton, Jr. to Join TN Shakespeare Company in the Classroom

Memphis Mayor AC Wharton, Jr. announced today he will observe first-hand Tennessee Shakespeare Company teaching and playing its Romeo and Juliet Project with 100 ninth graders in four simultaneous sessions at East High School on Monday, March 23 at 9:00 am.

"On behalf of TSC and our Board of Directors, I am so proud and honored to have Mayor Wharton joining our teachers in the classroom," said Project creator and TSC Education Director Stephanie Shine. "It was at the Mayor's urging we created this Project, and I am excited for him to see his challenge come to positive life."

Tennessee Shakespeare Company began its nationally-recognized, four-part performance and in-school residency in the Memphis area in January. The Project, now in its fourth year, brings a cast of eight professional actor-teachers into each Language Arts classroom at a participating school. Students are guided by the actors to live the play's urgent tragedy of young love amidst rage, experiencing its relevant story while ensuring that participating freshmen have a first exposure to Shakespeare that is active, rich, and rewarding.

As the teenagers in the play face armed violence, students discover positive actions available to them in their own lives in the face of real conflict. Student post-Project assessments have recorded a 20% increase in students' compassion as a result of their inclusion in The Romeo and Juliet Project, as well as a full letter grade increase, on average, in Language Arts classes.

The Residency concludes with an intimate performance by the actor-teachers of Romeo and Juliet, which encourages student participation.

By the end of March, The Romeo and Juliet Project will have performed the play 44 times in 27 Memphis area schools, and will have taught the Residency in 342 classroom visits in 11 schools. At least 4,360 high school Freshmen will be reached and positively affected by The Romeo and Juliet Project. That figure represents 34% of all freshmen in the Shelby County Schools system.

Tennessee Shakespeare Company's production of Romeo and Juliet and The Romeo and Juliet Project are part of Shakespeare in American Communities, a national program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

Additional funding is provided by FedEx, International Paper, and individual contributions to TSC's Barbara B. Apperson Angel Fund, charged with bringing as many children as possible to live, professional Shakespeare performance and interactive study.

The Romeo and Juliet Project, created and directed by TSC Education Director Stephanie Shine is provided free of charge to participating schools and students.

"Mayor Wharton challenged us to discover a way for the arts to activate positive social change while simultaneously heightening academic success," says TSC founder and producing artistic director Dan McCleary. "That was four years ago. We have now created an interactive, in-classroom curriculum that is meeting both challenges successfully, gaining both student and teacher momentum in county-wide schools, and hopefully will become a model for replication around the United States. His challenge inspired us, and his presence with us at East High will further galvanize us. I am grateful and honored to have the Mayor join us and endorse The Romeo and Juliet Project."

Please note, the Mayor's schedule is subject to change.

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