Classes
Learn. Create. Laugh. Perform.
Imagination and creativity flourish in the Studio with fun and enriching courses for youth and adults. Each program is led by Chesapeake Shakespeare Company teaching artists. Age-appropriate activities encourage imagination and develop performing skills, using the rich language of Shakespeare’s plays. Classes are geared towards personal and/or professional growth. All programs are non-competitive: No auditions required. All courses include programs for actors and non-actors.
FALL 2026 COURSES
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All The World’s A Ring: Shakespeare in the World of Pro Wrestling
Critical Analysis: Frankenstein
Critical Analysis: A Christmas Carol
Stage Combat: Two Handed Sword
Questions? Please contact Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's Studio, at studio@chesapeakeshakespeare.com
ALL THE WORLD’S A RING: SHAKESPEARE IN THE WORLD OF PRO WRESTLING
What if Kate had the opportunity to put Petruchio in a headlock for his bad behavior? What song would Puck choose as he makes his entrance at Wrestlemania? In this class, words marry action and spectacle as you take on the role of iconic Shakespeare characters; this time settling their differences through the performance language of professional wrestling
Open to participants ages 18 and older
Instructor: Jess Miller
Dates: Saturdays, September 12 – October 17, 2026. No class September 5, 2026.
Times: 10:00am-12:00pm
Other Date/Time Info: Performance held during the final class session
Location: The Studio at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, 7 S Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD , 21202
Tuition: $360
CRITICAL ANALYSIS: FRANKENSTEIN
Dig into the text with experts and other critical thinkers! The perfect way to develop your critical eye, capture the nuance of classic masterworks, and connect with other lovers of drama and literature. This class will analyze and discuss Frankenstein. Tuition includes a free ticket to see Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s mainstage production of Frankenstein directed by Ian Gallanar, running October 9 - November 1, 2026, which we will discuss during our follow-up class.
Open to participants ages 18 and older
Instructor: Molly Horton Booth
Dates: Mondays, September 21 – October 19, 2026; November 2, 2026 (Follow-up)
Times: 6:30pm-7:45pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Tuition: $125 (Includes a free ticket to see CSC's production of Frankenstein)
CRITICAL ANALYSIS: A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Dig into the text with experts and other critical thinkers! The perfect way to develop your critical eye, capture the nuance of classic masterworks, and connect with other lovers of drama and literature. This class will analyze and discuss A Christmas Carol. Tuition includes a free ticket to see Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s mainstage production of A Christmas Carol, adapted by Laura Rocklym and directed by Quae Simpson, running November 28 - December 23, 2026, which we will discuss during our follow-up class.
Open to participants ages 18 and older
Instructor: Molly Horton Booth
Dates: Mondays, November 9 – December 7, 2026; December 28, 2026 (Follow-up)
Times: 6:30pm-7:45pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Tuition: $125 (Includes a free ticket to see CSC's production of A Christmas Carol)
Christmas Carol set in Baltimore? R&J 1975? Adaptations can be complicated but learn what separates good from great in our adaptation course! Each week, you will hear from different adaptors on their journey of adapting plays, novels, and more, and tips for your own writing. Sign up for one class or all five, just be ready for a great discussion.
Open to participants ages 18 and older
Session 1 (9/22/26): Laura Rocklyn, adapter of the Baltimore twist A Christmas Carol that CSC has performed for the past 4 years.
Session 2 (9/29/26): Seamus Miller, CSC Associate Director and Founder of Devil's Isle, as well as Shakespeare Beyond playwright
Session 3 (10/6/26): Sarah Rose Kearns, Persuasion playwright, performed at CSC in fall 2025 and off-Broadway in 2021.
Session 4 (10/13/26): Gerrad Alex Taylor, Perisphere Theater Co-Aristic Director and playwright of I Know How to Curse: a re-blackening of shakespeare
Session 5 (10/20/26): Ian Gallanar, CSC Founding Aristic director and adaptor for It's The Comedy of Errors, Hon and many other CSC productions
Session 6 (10/27/26): Molly Horton Booth, author of Saving Hamlet, Nothing Happened, Twelfth Grade Night, and King Cheer.
Dates: Tuesdays, September 22 – October 27, 2026.
Times: 6:30-7:30pm
Location: via Zoom
Tuition: $25/session, or $125 for all 6 sessions
STAGE COMBAT: TWO HANDED SWORD
Professional Stage Combat training in Two Handed Sword with Certified Teacher Jonathan Ezra Rubin. Those interested in testing with the Society of American Fight Directors will need to register for BOTH sessions and pay an additional, non-refundable adjudication fee. Students who pass will receive the Society of American Fight Director's recognition in Two Handed Sword.
Open to participants ages 18 and older
Instructor: Jonathan Ezra Rubin
Dates: Session 1: Sundays, November 1 - 22, 2026.
Session 2: Sundays, November 29 - December 20, 2026.
Times: 11:00am-5:00pm. Hour lunch break from 1:30-2:30pm.
Location: The Studio at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, 7 S Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD , 21202
Tuition: $250/session. Those testing must pay a $60 certification fee to the SAFD on adjudication day.
Questions? Please contact Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's Studio, at studio@chesapeakeshakespeare.com.
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Homeschool CORPS (ages 12-18)
Homeschool Players (ages 6-11)
Questions? Please contact Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's Studio, at studio@chesapeakeshakespeare.com
Step into the world of Shakespeare — where pirates sail, potions bubble, and every kid is a storyteller. In this playful, welcoming class, young actors will explore scenes, characters, and language from Shakespeare’s plays through games, movement, and collaborative performance. We’ll bring stories to life with our voices, bodies, and big imaginations — no experience required. Whether your child loves being center stage or is just dipping a toe into theatre, Shakespeare Play is a place to grow confidence, creativity, and community. Come play, speak the speech, and discover just how fun the Bard can be!
Open to participants age 7-11.
Instructor: Anabel Milton
Dates: Tuesdays, September 8 – October 27, 2026.
Times: 4:00pm-5:30pm
Other Date/Time Info: Presentation held during final class period.
Location: The Studio at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, 206 E Redwood Street, Baltimore MD, 21202
Tuition: $150
Part drama, part literature, part history, and all kinds of fun. In this joyful, year-long, collaborative class, homeschool students will build acting skills, grow as an ensemble, and bring Shakespeare to life on stage. Throughout the year, students will explore the fundamentals of performance — voice, movement, character, and storytelling — while working together on Julius Caesar. No auditions or Shakespeare/theatre experience required! In the fall, we’ll dive into text exploration, ensemble building, and foundational acting technique, using SHOW as our artistic playground. At the end of the first session, families and friends are invited to a showcase of in-progress work. In the spring, we’ll hone in on performance, culminating in an abridged production of Julius Caesar on CSC’s professional stage.
Open to participants ages 12-18.
Instructor: Molly Horton Booth
Dates: Thursdays
Session 1: October 1, 2026 - December 10, 2026
Session 2: January 14, 2027 - March 18, 2027
Session 3: April 1, 2027 - June 3, 2027
Times: 5:00-8:00pm
Additional Dates/Time Info: No class on November 26, 2026. Performances on June 4, 2027 and June 5, 2027 at 7:00pm
Location: The Studio at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, 206 E Redwood Street, Baltimore MD, 21202
Tuition: $1,750
Welcome to the stage, young storytellers! In this playful, year-long, welcoming class, homeschool students will explore the basics of acting, ensemble, and stagecraft through theatre games, creative movement, and joyful collaboration. Using Macbeth as our guiding story, students will dive into Shakespeare’s world of witches, prophecies, and fun — discovering how their voices, bodies, and imaginations can bring it all to life. No auditions or Shakespeare/theatre experience required! Throughout the year, we’ll build confidence and community while gently developing performance skills. In the fall, students will explore characters, scenes, and storytelling tools, ending in a showcase of in-progress work for families and friends. In the spring, we’ll shift into rehearsal mode, culminating in a magical, abridged performance of Macbeth.
Open to participants ages 6-11.
Instructor: Melissa Freilich
Dates: Fridays
Session 1: October 2, 2026 - December 11, 2026
Session 2: January 15, 2027 - March 19, 2027
Times: 10:00am-12:00pm
Additional Dates/Time Info: No class on November 27, 2026. Performances on March 19, 2027 at 7:00pm
Location: The Studio at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, 206 E Redwood Street, Baltimore MD, 21202
Tuition: $900
In this youth course, students will learn how to fake a punch, slap, kick, roll, and much more with Society of American Fight Director's talented Melissa Freilich! Students will learn the fundamentals of unarmed stage combat and will choreograph a scene to be presented to friends and family during the final session.
Open to participants ages 14-18.
Instructor: Melissa Freilich
Dates: Wednesdays, October 14 – November 18, 2026.
Times: 6:00-8:00pm
Additional Dates/Time Info: Performance held during final class session at 7:00pm
Location: The Studio at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, 206 E Redwood Street, Baltimore MD, 21202
Tuition: $360
Questions? Please contact Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's Studio, at studio@chesapeakeshakespeare.com
Cancellation/Refund policy: CSC reserves the right to cancel or postpone any class. If a class is cancelled, registrants will be contacted and issued a full refund. If a registrant wishes to cancel their registration, a full refund will be issued if notice is given at least two weeks prior to the start of the class. There will be no refunds issued outside of this time frame.