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Wellesley Education Expedition
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Inside
English Theater |
2007
March 18 - 25
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In March, join Wellesley
alumnae and friends for a seven-day tour of London, as we experience
the best of a city that is rich with culture and heritage. Rodney West,
a theater insider for over 22 years will be our study leader as we go
behind-the-scenes in London and Stratford-upon-Avon. With hundreds of
museums, thousands of restaurants, and an always-changing roster of theater
productions from which to choose, London offers even the repeat visitor
the opportunity to explore the city anew.
We will attend a number of theatrical performances, including Billy Elliot—The
Musical, written by Lee Hall, and Shakespeare’s Coriolanus, part of the
Royal Shakespeare Company's Complete Works of Shakespeare Festival. Many of the
finest actors who have played a role in the RSC’s development have been
lured back for this season. Beyond the plays themselves, we’ll also have
the chance to gain a deeper understanding of the theater through private lectures
on selected performances and meetings with a major theater critic, a leading
dialect coach, and a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. On a walking tour
of Stratford-upon-Avon, we’ll learn more about the Bard and his life, and
on a tour of the replica of the Globe Theatre in London, we’ll explore
what is known about performance style and conditions in Shakespeare’s time.
We will have lunch with Sir William and Lady Benyon at their magnificent Elizabethan
home, Englefield House, and discuss some of the pressing issues of the moment—from
events in the Middle East to the United States’ relations with Europe—with
one of England’s leading political commentators. Along the way, local alumnae
will offer a firsthand perspective on the city and its culture.
We will enjoy four-star accommodations at the Cavendish Hotel, located in the
heart of St. James in the West End. From this central location, there will also
be ample free time to explore the city on your own.
With so many opportunities to explore the best of English theater and the bustling
excitement of London, this Wellesley Education Expedition promises a new perspective
on the city’s rich legacy of drama and culture.
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Rodney West
has been leading tours to London and Europe
for such nonprofit theaters as the Manhattan Theater
Club and Chicago’s Goodman Theater for more than
10 years.
Prior to this, he worked for 22 years with the Bristol Old Vic, one of the UK’s
leading repertory companies, first as theatre manager and then as general manager.
He has taught at Thames Valley University and at the University of Notre Dame’s
London Program for American students.
In addition, he has been a visiting lecturer at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts
and was a consultant for the Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts. |
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More Information
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Trip Details
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| For reservation
and/or a detailed itinerary of this tour, please
contact:
Jayne Lew, Assistant
Director of Travel
Phone: 781-283-2389
Email: travelprograms@alum.wellesley.edu
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Duration: 8days
Activity Level: Mild
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