Something new will be added to the Mancos Days lineup this year. The Painted Turtle Renaissance Players, a group of improvisational actors, will bring Shakespeare, theater games and Medieval characters alive to everyone.
The players are going to learn what they dont already know in a couple of classes taught by Marguerite Scott at the Painted Turtle Studio, 121 Grand Ave., Mancos. Before Mancos Days, from July 25 through 29, there will be a class called Elizabethan Improvisational Theater for kids ages 8 through 13. For those five days, Scott will teach the kids a lot of acting methods, how to make Shakespeare interesting and fun and then show them how to share what theyve learned at Mancos Days.
In Shakespeare, its all about the characters, Scott said. The sets were very simple back then, and most of the stories were told by the characters. They will use what they have to create stages and sets, taking items from nature and their surroundings.
In the second part of the class, from Aug. 1 through 5, Scott will reintroduce what they learned before, rehearse scenes from Shakespeare plays and learn more about costumes. Then, they will be able to showcase what theyve learned at the Mancos Renaissance Faire in August.
Shakespeare can be a lot of fun for kids, said Scott. There are so many wonderful characters!