Starts October 19, 2026Mondays, 6:00-10:00 p.m.3 rehearsal classes: October 19 and 26; November 2 Public presentation: Exact date and venue TBD Rehearsal location:Waterloo-Kitchener United Mennonite Church (WKUM), 15 George Street, Waterloo. Entrance and parking are off Allen Street. Bonus: Register for this class and get free access to The Acting Shakespeare Road Map video course — 6 on-demand video lessons (a $39 value) you can revisit anytime, before rehearsals or after. ACT SHAKESPEARE! - SHAKESPEARE IN THE PUB Rehearse Shakespeare for performance, culminating in a public Shakespeare in the Pub presentation. This three-week performance intensive invites actors into the rehearsal room to build an original adaptation for an intimate pub setting. The Fall project, HARRY THE KING: THE FAMOUS VICTORIES OF HENRY V, brings together material from Shakespeare's Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, and Henry V. Rather than treating Shakespeare as distant or formal, the ensemble will make the language immediate, active, and connected to an audience. The work combines rigorous text exploration with the practical demands of rehearsing and shaping a live production. Participants will work on: - turning Shakespeare's language into clear, playable action- developing vocal and physical confidence with heightened text- building character, relationship, and ensemble connection- rehearsing scenes with pace, specificity, and spontaneity- working directly with an audience in an intimate performance environment- carrying the work from rehearsal into a public presentation Immersive. Epic. Intimate. Unforgettable. The registration fee includes the three rehearsal sessions and participation in the final public presentation. The exact performance date and pub venue will be announced. INSTRUCTOR AND DIRECTOR The course is led by Paul Hopkins, an actor, director, and teacher with more than 30 years of professional experience. He served as Artistic Director of Montreal's Shakespeare-in-the-Park company, Repercussion Theatre, for eight seasons, performed in two seasons at the Stratford Festival, and performed at the Atlantic Theatre Festival under Michael Langham — widely regarded as one of the great Shakespeare directors of his era — in what amounted to a training ground of its own. In 2013, he was named a finalist for the Christopher Plummer Award of Excellence in Classical Theatre. Curious where this approach actually comes from? Paul traces his process directly back to Shakespeare's own acting company, by way of mentors that include a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the former head of the Drama Division at The Juilliard School. Read the full story.
