By Sonoma Brawley — Contributor

We depend upon theatre to momentarily escape the wickedness of our world and to be transported to a safe space of creativity. 

Shakesperience 2023 was an incredible experiential learning opportunity that delivered lessons in hope, empathy and patronage and provided a first-hand example of the value of the humanities. This for-credit course was open to students across the Maple League Universities, as well as to “students of life” who joined for a not-for-credit adventure in Stratford, Ontario. Together, we embarked on a festival feat and attended five productions from this year’s Stratford Festival season.

The performances included Shakespeare’s King Lear, Richard II, and Much Ado About Nothing – along with two musicals: Rent and Spamalot. Shakesperience encouraged joy and curiosity in scholarship by connecting people ages 18-80 in compassionate and energetic ways to learn from one another. 

I was thrilled to return to Stratford for my second year of Shakesperience. Under the guidance and generative mentorship of Prof. Jessica Riddell from Bishop’s University’s english department, Prof. Shannon Murray from the University of Prince Edward Island and Prof. Lisa Dickson from the University of Northern British Columbia, we were immersed in the town and spent five days absorbing extraordinary theatre at the Stratford Festival. 

Theatre acted as our tool to create spaces for holding complexity and breaking open conversations. Throughout June, we connected virtually with meet-and-greet sessions on Teams and explored asynchronous lectures and assignments. Although Shakespeare’s work is over 400 years old, it is still relevant to us in a 21st-century context. His plays enabled an authentic escape and the opportunity for self-exploration through collaborative art.

Storytelling is our single greatest superpower. It is how we make sense of our world, grow our empathy, and connect. The stories we tell are often chosen because they hold a mirror up to society and challenge us to face uncomfortable truths.

Theatre teaches us how to use storytelling for advocacy and to make spaces for everyone’s voice to be heard. It is an active art because it invites you in, but it also demands that you listen.

Shakespeare’s plays present an immersive archeological exhibition of humanity encased in rich rhythmic language. This is an art form where we build from the ground up. Audience participation is central to that creation. 

As audience members at the Stratford Festival, we were immersed in the middle of an ephemeral moment. Throughout Shakesperience, we focused on the theme of patronage and how necessary it was to support the arts. We found immense value in being part of the action and value in the process of watching art unfold before our eyes. As we watched the performances on stage flutter past, we were reminded of how lucky we were to experience live theatre.

The fleeting words and precious moments weren’t preservable, but that only increased their value. Theatre gave us the gift to breathe life into these treasured stories. When we sat in the audience, we were brought on adventures in technicolor, without even needing ruby slippers to transport us. 

Looking forward to the magic of Shakesperience 2024!