Forty students, along with Mr. Dan Meester and other teacher chaperones, headed to Ashland, Oregon for the exciting Shakespeare Festival. This has been an enjoyable experience for many people for years. Students took part in a hands-on experience by attending four world-class dramas: The Merry Wives of Windsor, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Cyrano de Bergerac, and The Importance of Being Earnest. They listened to prologues before each play to help get a better understanding of the different plots and characters. They also attended workshops at Southern Oregon University, where they learned about stage fighting from actor James Newcomb, who plays Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Renaissance dance was another workshop in which students students participated in, and experienced an enjoyable time and also learned more about the Renaissance culture. Cyrano de Bergerac was a favorite among many of the students, even though the play was held outside in the cold evening weather, and was described by Angad Basra as, "Brilliant. I really liked the acting and atmosphere of the theater, and it was cool how the audience was so engaged in [the play]". When not watching a play, the students had hours of free time to roam the downtown streets of Ashland. They found great places to eat and bond together, and experienced the unique town and its culture. On one of the days, the students went on a Shakespeare scavenger hunt to test their knowledge and skills. "The scavenger hunt was so much fun! It was definitely one of the most memorable things from the trip because my team and I won $50!" said Victoria Rees. Michael Kawamoto said, "For me the Oregon Shakespeare Festival served as a shovel to dig up my long lost love of Shakespeare. It brought my appreciation of Shakespeare's work to a new level primarily by means of the actors, actresses, and set designers." Overall, all the students really enjoyed this trip and recommend the juniors to go next year.

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