Stratford, England
What You Will Learn
The program will start with two weeks of formal class work in residence at Texas State University-San Marcos. Students will then study in residence at Stratford, England, for three weeks. This intensive, five-week course will immerse students in the language and culture of Shakespeare’s plays. The course will combine formal academic class work at Texas State with theatrical workshops taught by professionals at leading international theatres, including the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). In England, academic sessions will be led by scholars from the Shakespeare Centre/Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and the Shakespeare Institute.
Cost: $3,896 (cost subject to change)
Cost includes the following:
- $180 non-refundable application fee
- Tuition and fees for six hours of university credit
- Theatre tickets to three plays
- RSC actor talks
- Fencing workshop
- Period dance workshop
- Entrance to all five Shakespeare properties
- Transportation from Heathrow Airport to Straford Upon Avon (return transportation to be arranged at student's expense)
- Coffee and tea breaks throughout the course
- Fifteen nights of shared rooms in a guest house (B&B), breakfast included
- Use of the Trust’s resources and facilities
- Lectures by the Trust or Institute scholars on Shakespeare's plays
- Use of the archival facilities of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Payment Schedule
| First Payment | $550.00 | December 3, 2007 |
| Second Payment | $1,675.00 | February 15, 2008 |
| Final Payment | $1,671.00 | April 18, 2008 |
Participants may lose all or part of the deposit or total payment made if cancellation occurs. There will be a $180 cancellation fee in all cases.
All study abroad registrations and first payments must be made in the Study Abroad Office located at 302 ASB North
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR ALREADY ENROLLED STUDY ABROAD STUDENTS!
All subsequent Study Abroad Program payments can be made using either of the following two options:A) Online payments: Go to http://uweb.txstate.edu/gao/study_abroad/
B) Cash and check payments are accepted at the Cashier's Office,
located on the first floor of the JC Kellam Administration Building. Be sure
to bring your Texas State ID number with you, and indicate to the cashier
that you are paying for a Study Abroad Program. Please pay the amount
indicated on the payment schedule for your program.
Financial Assistance
For detailed information on financial aid, visit our Financial Assistance page or contact the Texas State Office of Financial Aid, located in JCK 220.
For information and application materials for the International Education Fee Scholarship, download 
IEFS Information and Application. The IEFS application deadline is February 15, 2008.
See What Students Thought of This Program
1. My living accommodations were:
NA 0%
Unsatisfactory 0%
Less than expected 0%
Good 54%
Very good 46%
2. The excursion(s) included as part of the program met my
NA 0%
Unsatisfactory 0%
Less than expected 8%
Good 50%
Very good 42%
3. The host institution met my needs.
NA 0%
Unsatisfactory 0%
Less than expected 0%
Good 45%
Very good 55%
4.How much spending money would you recommend to future participants?
a) Less than $500: 0%
b) $500-$750: 9%
c) $750-$1000: 45%
d) $1000-$1500: 27%
e) $1500-$2000: 9%
d) More than $2000: 9%
5. Do you think you learned more by participating in this program than what you would have learned on campus?
Yes 100%
No 0%
6. This program met the learning objectives.
NA 0%
Unsatisfactory 0%
Less than expected 0%
Good 19%
Very good 81%
7. I was challenged by this program.
NA 0%
Unsatisfactory 0%
Less than expected 0%
Good 19%
Very good 81%
8. This program was cost effective.
NA 0%
Unsatisfactory 0%
Less than expected 9%
Good 54%
Very good 37%
9. Do you consider this place a safe destination for TxState students?
Yes 100%
No 0%
If your answer was “no”, please explain why:
10. Would you recommend this program to other students?
Yes 87%
No 13%
• No if their emphasis is anything other than performance based. I recommend this course for all BFA students.
11. Briefly describe your best experience in this program:
• Working with Jane Lapotaire.
• Guest speakers and lecturers.
• The RADA workshop was very enlightening experience which was a true joy. As well as the one on one talk backs with the actors from the RSC.
• Working my monologue with Jane Lapotaire, immensely improving and her telling me I did really well.
• The RADA workshop was amazing and I loved the talkbacks with the actors.
• Jane Lapotoire classes and RADA classes.
• THE WHOLE THING!
• Final performance and late night typing with my roommates.
• Training workshop with RADA, Stage Combat workshop with Jean-Mark Perret and touring Shakespeare's birthplace and schoolroom.
• Watching RSC productions, sword fighting and RADA.
• The holistic approach and nature that were completely surrounded by practical and scholarly experiences. And our group was awesome-lots of fun!
12. Briefly describe your worst experience in this program:
• I didn't have any bad experiences except the stinging plants on the way to Anne Hathaway's…in the rain and even that wasn't too bad.
• Walking to and from Anne Hathaway's house in the rain. Having my challenges with line memorization being treated as if I wasn't trying hard enough or as if I didn't care enough.
• Anne Hathaway's house.
• Touring Anne Hathaway's house in the pouring rain; I personally did not care about Anne Hathaway.
• Working with difficult scene partners.
• Lack of internet.
• Having clean clothes available.
• I felt as though some of the voice and text work in Stratford as a bit unnecessary since we did most of that in Texas.
• Getting rerouted in flight to London, I ended up at Gatwick, no phone to call anyone, got lost on the London Underground on my way to Stratford.
• The Jane Lapotaire wok shop was unorganized, frustrating and not very enlightening at all. I am sad to say that although it was fun it was very disappointing.
• The first days of the program. I feel I was not allowed to ask questions and get answers.
13. List information that you did not receive that you think is important for future students to have:
• How much it will cost to eat, live, etc.
• The financial issues must be better established and students should also have better computer and internet access.
• Make sure your phone works in England. If not, buy one that works. Or be prepared to buy one overseas pay-as-you-go. Take a flash drive and a laptop.
• Acting intensive course.
• How much money is needed. Money conversions. Living expenses.
• How to convert American dollars into pounds before leaving America. Bring a printer (or buy one upon arrival)! Do not rely on having internet access.
• Packing list for clothes prior to departure.
• You will have very limited time with which to work. You will have very limited access to libraries and internet. You will be expected to perform to a very high standard with limited faculty support. Jane Lapotaire is much nicer than you will be led to believe. You must have a monologue memorized by week two.
• Bring a travel alarm clock, flash (zip) drive, or some kind of portable disk, a mini stapler and an umbrella-they are all absolutely necessary! Embrace every experience you will have, good or bad, with open arms and you will come away with a very positive experience.
Comments or suggestions:
• Overall, I had a wonderful time and I felt as though I have grown and learned so much! I'm a better person now because of it!
• Mind the gap!
• Thank you so much. What a wonderful experience.
• Frequently, I felt unfairly treated compared to other students who seemed to have a much closer relationship with the professors. I felt the expectations, workload and pressure placed upon me were too high to properly work to create the true nature of my scene. I felt that the acting notes that I did receive were either too broad/vague or sometimes too stifling. For instance, when I got the note to look into peoples eyes, it was an opportunity to experiment; unfortunately that experiment took place during our performance and it threw me completely off. Unfortunately, I was not able to disregard the idea of what was happening and then I pushed, which was obviously not what I wanted.
• More library time please.
• I am so glad this trip was suggested to me. The plays were amazing. I felt Jane was so helpful everyday with our monologues. I walked out of class with Jane feeling so great. The practical sessions with dance and combat were so much fun, we just always need to be in the Queen Elizabeth room for special purposes. I think I would've liked to see one more good show in Stratford with another cast just to have more range…and to just see other shows. Perhaps more guidelines for the group library project would be helpful. We were sort of researching blindly and ended up more opinionated about the recorded productions than anything. I felt that more of my time went to rehearsal and performance than any writing. Perhaps telling non-performance students that much more time than they expect will be spent on stage and they need to be open to making a fool of themselves. I loved this course! Thank you so much for hosting it!
• Overall, I really enjoyed the program. My only complaint is that the class was not pitched to me as being so acting intensive. I thought it would be a balance but I spent most of my time learning lines. This did not give me adequate time to work on the paper. I think that you can still have a holistic experience if you give grad students an option of using second acting day for research. Now, that being said, if one was better mentally prepared for the acting they may not have had this problem. Also, I loved RADA. It was interesting to see how the "top" actors worked. I also enjoyed the dancing and sword fighting. It really helped me clarify what life was like in Shakespeare's time period. For the future I would suggest a packing list of items students might want to bring. I would also (as the school) pay for the instructor to have a phone, especially on the first day.
• I greatly appreciate the opportunity to participate in this program. I have grown a great deal and have had such great experiences. I plan to return to Stratford once a year to continue what we've begun. I am grateful for the bonds I've created with the other students. I have not been this challenged since basic training. I appreciate the intensity of this learning experience. I've learned a great deal and what I didn't learn, I now at least know what it is.
• Thank you so much for this opportunity! Every experience taught me something and there's nothing I would have changed. Except to make the trip longer (it would have been worth the extra cost). I feel like I'm able to take way so much from this program that will help me now and in the future, as well as wonderful memories and great relationships with everyone on the trip. This course has given me a chance to sort of think more carefully about what I want to do with my life and I'm really thankful for that. I would definitely recommend this program to others. Thank you!
NA 0%
Unsatisfactory 0%
Less than expected 0%
Good 54%
Very good 46%
2. The excursion(s) included as part of the program met my
NA 0%
Unsatisfactory 0%
Less than expected 8%
Good 50%
Very good 42%
3. The host institution met my needs.
NA 0%
Unsatisfactory 0%
Less than expected 0%
Good 45%
Very good 55%
4.How much spending money would you recommend to future participants?
a) Less than $500: 0%
b) $500-$750: 9%
c) $750-$1000: 45%
d) $1000-$1500: 27%
e) $1500-$2000: 9%
d) More than $2000: 9%
5. Do you think you learned more by participating in this program than what you would have learned on campus?
Yes 100%
No 0%
6. This program met the learning objectives.
NA 0%
Unsatisfactory 0%
Less than expected 0%
Good 19%
Very good 81%
7. I was challenged by this program.
NA 0%
Unsatisfactory 0%
Less than expected 0%
Good 19%
Very good 81%
8. This program was cost effective.
NA 0%
Unsatisfactory 0%
Less than expected 9%
Good 54%
Very good 37%
9. Do you consider this place a safe destination for TxState students?
Yes 100%
No 0%
If your answer was “no”, please explain why:
10. Would you recommend this program to other students?
Yes 87%
No 13%
• No if their emphasis is anything other than performance based. I recommend this course for all BFA students.
11. Briefly describe your best experience in this program:
• Working with Jane Lapotaire.
• Guest speakers and lecturers.
• The RADA workshop was very enlightening experience which was a true joy. As well as the one on one talk backs with the actors from the RSC.
• Working my monologue with Jane Lapotaire, immensely improving and her telling me I did really well.
• The RADA workshop was amazing and I loved the talkbacks with the actors.
• Jane Lapotoire classes and RADA classes.
• THE WHOLE THING!
• Final performance and late night typing with my roommates.
• Training workshop with RADA, Stage Combat workshop with Jean-Mark Perret and touring Shakespeare's birthplace and schoolroom.
• Watching RSC productions, sword fighting and RADA.
• The holistic approach and nature that were completely surrounded by practical and scholarly experiences. And our group was awesome-lots of fun!
12. Briefly describe your worst experience in this program:
• I didn't have any bad experiences except the stinging plants on the way to Anne Hathaway's…in the rain and even that wasn't too bad.
• Walking to and from Anne Hathaway's house in the rain. Having my challenges with line memorization being treated as if I wasn't trying hard enough or as if I didn't care enough.
• Anne Hathaway's house.
• Touring Anne Hathaway's house in the pouring rain; I personally did not care about Anne Hathaway.
• Working with difficult scene partners.
• Lack of internet.
• Having clean clothes available.
• I felt as though some of the voice and text work in Stratford as a bit unnecessary since we did most of that in Texas.
• Getting rerouted in flight to London, I ended up at Gatwick, no phone to call anyone, got lost on the London Underground on my way to Stratford.
• The Jane Lapotaire wok shop was unorganized, frustrating and not very enlightening at all. I am sad to say that although it was fun it was very disappointing.
• The first days of the program. I feel I was not allowed to ask questions and get answers.
13. List information that you did not receive that you think is important for future students to have:
• How much it will cost to eat, live, etc.
• The financial issues must be better established and students should also have better computer and internet access.
• Make sure your phone works in England. If not, buy one that works. Or be prepared to buy one overseas pay-as-you-go. Take a flash drive and a laptop.
• Acting intensive course.
• How much money is needed. Money conversions. Living expenses.
• How to convert American dollars into pounds before leaving America. Bring a printer (or buy one upon arrival)! Do not rely on having internet access.
• Packing list for clothes prior to departure.
• You will have very limited time with which to work. You will have very limited access to libraries and internet. You will be expected to perform to a very high standard with limited faculty support. Jane Lapotaire is much nicer than you will be led to believe. You must have a monologue memorized by week two.
• Bring a travel alarm clock, flash (zip) drive, or some kind of portable disk, a mini stapler and an umbrella-they are all absolutely necessary! Embrace every experience you will have, good or bad, with open arms and you will come away with a very positive experience.
Comments or suggestions:
• Overall, I had a wonderful time and I felt as though I have grown and learned so much! I'm a better person now because of it!
• Mind the gap!
• Thank you so much. What a wonderful experience.
• Frequently, I felt unfairly treated compared to other students who seemed to have a much closer relationship with the professors. I felt the expectations, workload and pressure placed upon me were too high to properly work to create the true nature of my scene. I felt that the acting notes that I did receive were either too broad/vague or sometimes too stifling. For instance, when I got the note to look into peoples eyes, it was an opportunity to experiment; unfortunately that experiment took place during our performance and it threw me completely off. Unfortunately, I was not able to disregard the idea of what was happening and then I pushed, which was obviously not what I wanted.
• More library time please.
• I am so glad this trip was suggested to me. The plays were amazing. I felt Jane was so helpful everyday with our monologues. I walked out of class with Jane feeling so great. The practical sessions with dance and combat were so much fun, we just always need to be in the Queen Elizabeth room for special purposes. I think I would've liked to see one more good show in Stratford with another cast just to have more range…and to just see other shows. Perhaps more guidelines for the group library project would be helpful. We were sort of researching blindly and ended up more opinionated about the recorded productions than anything. I felt that more of my time went to rehearsal and performance than any writing. Perhaps telling non-performance students that much more time than they expect will be spent on stage and they need to be open to making a fool of themselves. I loved this course! Thank you so much for hosting it!
• Overall, I really enjoyed the program. My only complaint is that the class was not pitched to me as being so acting intensive. I thought it would be a balance but I spent most of my time learning lines. This did not give me adequate time to work on the paper. I think that you can still have a holistic experience if you give grad students an option of using second acting day for research. Now, that being said, if one was better mentally prepared for the acting they may not have had this problem. Also, I loved RADA. It was interesting to see how the "top" actors worked. I also enjoyed the dancing and sword fighting. It really helped me clarify what life was like in Shakespeare's time period. For the future I would suggest a packing list of items students might want to bring. I would also (as the school) pay for the instructor to have a phone, especially on the first day.
• I greatly appreciate the opportunity to participate in this program. I have grown a great deal and have had such great experiences. I plan to return to Stratford once a year to continue what we've begun. I am grateful for the bonds I've created with the other students. I have not been this challenged since basic training. I appreciate the intensity of this learning experience. I've learned a great deal and what I didn't learn, I now at least know what it is.
• Thank you so much for this opportunity! Every experience taught me something and there's nothing I would have changed. Except to make the trip longer (it would have been worth the extra cost). I feel like I'm able to take way so much from this program that will help me now and in the future, as well as wonderful memories and great relationships with everyone on the trip. This course has given me a chance to sort of think more carefully about what I want to do with my life and I'm really thankful for that. I would definitely recommend this program to others. Thank you!