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Kerri Blake Cavanaugh, Dramaturg

Explaining Shakespeare to kids 7 to 14
The Lords of Navarre have fun at the humble clown Costard's expense, in Shakes-to-Go's production of Love's Labour's Lost at Watsonville High, 2016.

Theater Arts M.A. student Kerri Blake Cavanaugh is the resident dramaturg of "Shakes-To-Go," an annual Theater Arts program that abridges one of the works of William Shakespeare and tours the production to the schools of Santa Cruz and its neighboring counties.

Kerri says, "My role as the dramaturg of this year's production of Love's Labour's Lost was to utilize my knowledge of the text (definitions, themes, and inspirations) to help create a show, alongside a wonderful creative team and talented group of actors, that is both entertaining as well as engaging for young audiences.

"One of the unique opportunities I was given through dramaturging this production was to lead a series of pre-show workshops at one of the schools the actors would be performing for, where I worked hands on with children ages seven to fourteen on their understanding of the text and themes of this nearly half-millenium-old play."

Kerri's master's thesis is "Fostering Children's Engagement With Shakespeare."

The 'Worthies' prepare for their performance for the King of Navarre and his Lords, and the Princess of France and her Ladies, in Shakes-to-Go's production of Love's Labour's Lost at Pacific Grove High School in Monterey, 2016.