This is part 4 of a 4-part Shakespeare in the Classroom blog series. With the help of several Shakespeare experts, APT Education Specialist Cody Carlton shares his experience as a former theatre director and classroom educator to help us understand the bard 's enduring legacy and how students can connect with the over 400 year-old literary icon.
ACT 5: The Future of Teaching Shakespeare in Alabama
In an era of AI-generated content, social media storytelling, and binge-worthy streaming, how do we keep students engaged, challenge outdated teaching methods, and take advantage of the amazing resources right here in our state?
The future of Shakespeare education in Alabama isn’t just in classrooms—it’s in theatres, festivals, and workshops across the state. Cameron Williams, Director of Education at Alabama Shakespeare Festival, emphasizes that regional theaters serve as a vital bridge between Shakespeare in the classroom and Shakespeare on stage.
“ASF empowers teachers to bring Shakespeare to life for their students," Williams says. "By providing access to high-quality live performances, interactive workshops, and expert insights in post-show discussions, ASF transforms Shakespeare from a literature exercise into an immersive and transformational experience.”
Shakespearean Resources for Alabama Educators
1. The Alabama Shakespeare Festival (ASF) – Montgomery, AL
ASF’s SchoolFest Student Matinees give students a chance to experience live Shakespeare productions at a discounted rate. They also offer teacher workshops, classroom study guides, and resources designed for integrating theatre into curriculum.
2. The Shakespeare Project at Jacksonville State University – Anniston, AL
JSU hosts abridged, high-energy Shakespeare performances that travel to schools and offers teacher training, workshops, and summer camps focused on making Shakespeare accessible.
3. The Alabama Shakespeare Project at The University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa, AL
UA's project is a performance-based research collective that stages readings of Shakespearean plays, blending scholarship with live performance.
Shakespeare's Role in Education is Evolving—And That's a Good Thing
Jason Bozeman, an English and theatre educator, encourages teachers to lean into modern adaptations: “When a student tells me that Shakespeare is ‘outdated,’ they are usually surprised to hear that I mostly agree with them. The colloquialisms and humor used in Shakespeare’s time are mostly misunderstood by a 21st-century audience. There is a global effort by Shakespearean performers and scholars trying to take some of Shakespeare’s ‘problem issues’ into account when studying him.”
In other words—Shakespeare isn’t untouchable. The more students wrestle with him, challenge him, and interpret him through their own lens, the more alive he becomes.
- Make It Interactive – Students need to see it, act it, debate it, rewrite it, and experience it. Monotone readings just don’t work.
- Let Students Challenge the Text – Encourage students to question the plays, explore problematic themes, and connect them to current social issues.
- Adapt to Today’s World – Shakespeare’s stories are timeless, but how we frame them should evolve. Discuss his flaws, reimagine settings, and use modern adaptations.
Shakespearean Scholar and author, Dr. Carmine Di Biase points out that even major Shakespeare organizations are taking steps to adapt his language for modern audiences: “The Oregon Shakespeare Festival has been commissioning modernized versions of Shakespeare’s plays. All the archaic words are replaced with modern, more immediately accessible words. This is not how a Shakespeare scholar would want to enjoy the plays, but it is a very effective way of making Shakespeare more easily accessible, and perhaps more enjoyable, to the general audience.”
With innovative teaching, performance-based learning, and strong community resources, students won’t just study Shakespeare—they’ll love him.
This is part 4 of a 4-part Shakespeare in the Classroom blog series.
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