Janus artistic director to attend masterclasses at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

Janus Theatre artistic director Sean Hargadon will travel overseas next month to the Directing Studio at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre to attend a series of directing master classes.

The Globe Theatre based in London is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The modern reconstruction was built on the site of the original playhouse where Shakespeare plied his trade back in Elizabethan England.

This is another opportunity for Hargadon to learn more about how the plays were staged during Shakespeare's lifetime, how his work is staged today, and to bring back what he has learned to the Elgin area.

"This is a chance to further my education and expand my repertory of experience," he said. "I'll be working with and learning from directors with a variety of experiences."

Hargadon will travel to the Directing Studio at the Globe in early May. While there, a series of workshops with be led by leading practitioners, focusing on director preparation, text, language, voice, and movement. Hargadon was one of 12 directors chosen for this opportunity, where they will study from Shakespeare's later plays: "The Tempest," "A Winter's Tale" and "Cymbeline."

In 2015, Hargadon received his master's degree in the advanced teaching of Shakespeare from the University of Warwick in 2015, a program designed in collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is the co-founder and current artistic director of the Janus Theatre Company, where the classics and artist education have been part of the core mission since the beginning in 1998.

"One of the most exciting things about visiting another place is that you get a whole new perspective on how things are done," Hargadon said. "I will try to absorb as much as possible and then bring it back home with me."

While in London for the Directing Studio, Hargadon plans on visiting the local theaters and other sites that he missed on his last trip in 2005. "I'm grateful for the opportunity, I'm nervous because this is something new, but I'm going because there is more to discover," he said.

Hargadon plans on posting periodic updates about his experience while in London. To stay updated, go to www.janusplays.com and click on the Blog tab.

Janus Theatre Company is a nonprofit theater, founded in 1998, that creates intimate theatrical experiences bringing the audience and actor closer together. Janus has produced close to 70 productions, performing in Elgin, Chicago, New York, and Canada. The company has received critical and public praise for its work. Janus is based in downtown Elgin and has presented productions at the Elgin Art Showcase, Side Street Studio Arts, Blue Box Café and Elgin Public House among other site specific locations. The company is actively participating in revitalizing Elgin's downtown arts scene.