By Jordan Beach
Earlier this summer, Reinhardt students visited a city that has served as the source of theatre and literature inspiration for hundreds of years, bringing students back to the roots of their craft.
The structure of school can make maintaining a creative edge a challenging feat between rigorous coursework and long rehearsals. Reinhardt University’s Study Abroad program provided theatre students like Noelle Adams time away from their studies to immerse themselves into the culture of London, cultivating new motivation from one of the oldest homes to theatre.
“This trip made me realize just how thankful I am to have chosen to pursue theatre,” said Adams. “Seeing the actors and staff at the Globe Theatre and The Royal Shakespeare company sparked a creative fire in me, and I can’t wait to bring that back to RU.”
Eight theatre and English students traveled to England with Stewart Hawley, assistant professor of theatre, and Dr. Wayne Glowka, dean of the School of Arts & Humanities. They visited Stratford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare, and attended a performance at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The group spent nine days in London, seeing a performance at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and two shows on the West End, along with sight-seeing at Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and Gardens, Windsor Castle, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Hyde Park, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London, London Bridge, Borough Market and Harrods.
Outside of London they journeyed to Cornwall, Oxford, Newquay, Salisbury and the Minack Theatre in Porthcurno.
“This was a wonderful trip and the students learned about British culture and life as an actor,” said Hawley.
Studying abroad offers student’s a learning experience beyond their classroom and opens their minds to fresh perspectives within their field of study, and the London trip was no different.
“I gained a deeper appreciation for theatre, in all its aspects. I learned about reading Shakespeare in a way that didn’t make it seem so daunting, and learned all about England and its history, culture and way of life,” Adams said.
To learn more about Reinhardt University’s Study Abroad program, contact Dr. Cheryl Brown, International Studies Program Coordinator, at 770-720-5857 or CLB2@reinhardt.edu.
Photos provided by Noelle Adams.
