New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
Bishop Stang High School and the Greater New Bedford Catholic Elementary Schools joined together for a Shakespeare performance. On February 8, 2018, the Bay Colony Shakespeare Company performed an abridged version of Romeo and Juliet at Bishop Stang for the freshman and sophomore classes as well as the seventh and eighth graders from All Saints (New Bedford), Holy Family Holy Name (New Bedford), St. Francis Xavier (Acushnet), St. James St. John (New Bedford) and St. Joseph (Fairhaven). Following the 75-minute performance, actors participated in a “talk back” with students, deepening understandings and answering questions.
Bridget Borque, Stang English teacher, commented on the collaboration between Bishop Stang and the Greater New Bedford Catholic Elementary Schools. “As educators, we all recognize how daunting Shakespeare’s language can be for our students, but also how important it is for them to be exposed to his works. Our main goal became to provide resources for our GNBCS students so they could continue building a connection with Shakespeare and his language. Because of the communal relationship between the GNBCS, we were able to look into the audience and know all of our students had the tools needed to watch and appreciate the play with confidence.”
Bay Colony Shakespeare Company’s Education Director, Thomas Grenon, is a 1979 graduate of Bishop Stang High School. The Company will visit Bishop Stang again in March to perform Macbeth for the junior and senior classes, and Grenon will also conduct a Master Class for the Bishop Stang Theater Company.
