TFANA's summer institute: scholarship and performance, a combined approach to teaching shakespeare?S plays [theatre for a new audience (TFANA) proposes a two-week summer institute entitled scholarship…

The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded Theatre For A New Audience, Inc. $174,950 on January 1, 2026, under the Promotion of the Humanities Professional Development program (CFDA 45.163) to deliver a two-week summer institute on Shakespeare scholarship and performance pedagogy.

The institute, titled "Scholarship and Performance: A Combined Approach to Teaching Shakespeare's Plays," will serve 25 middle and high school teachers from across the nation at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center in Brooklyn, New York, from July 13 to 24, 2026. The program uses an integrated approach to explore text-based scholarship, contextual and original source material, language, and performance across two Shakespeare plays. For the 2026 theme, "Witches, Warriors, and Counselors: Shakespeare's Women in Times of War," participants will study Macbeth and Henry VI (Part 1) while examining cross-disciplinary and contemporary issues illuminated by the plays' content. Instruction is led by Shakespeare scholars Julie Crawford (Columbia University) and Mario Digangi (Lehman College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York), alongside master teaching artists Krista Apple and Claudia Zelevansky, and K-12 education leader Maria Fahey.

The award period extends through February 28, 2027. Theatre For A New Audience is a tax-exempt nonprofit based in New York City with established federal relationships spanning multiple arts and humanities programs since 2005.

TFANA's summer institute: scholarship and performance, a combined approach to teaching shakespeare?S plays [theatre for a new audience (TFANA) proposes a two-week summer institute entitled scholarship and performance: a combined approach to teaching shakespeare?S plays, to be held july 13-24, 2026 at polonsky shakespeare center in brooklyn, new york. Offered to a national group of 25 middle and high school teachers, the institute uses a integrated approach for exploring text-based scholarship, contextual and original source material, language, and performance in two of shakespeare plays, as well as cross-disciplinary and contemporary issues illuminated by the plays? Content. For this year?S theme, ?witches, warriors, and counselors: shakespeare?S women in times of war,? Participants will study macbeth and henry VI (part 1) with leading shakespeare scholars julie crawford (columbia university), mario digangi (lehman college and the graduate center, city university of new york), master teaching artists and theatre practitioners krista apple and claudia zelevansky, and K-12 leader maria fahey.]