Several hundred ATDP alumni share exciting memories of their experiences in Gemma Whelan’s Shakespeare as Theatre classes at ATDP. I particularly enjoyed the performance put on by students in her “Teenagers in Shakespeare” class, which featured actors playing their parts while up (fairly high) in the branches of campus trees. [Yes, this was done both with permission from and supervision of campus groundskeepers.] There was also a great deal of excitement the summer that Gemma brought a choreographer from Cal Shakes to help her students add dancing into their scenes.
Well, our Gemma is now on a national book tour promoting her first novel, Fiona: Stolen Child. Gemma is pictured above at a book reading and reception hosted by Council General Gerry Staunton in his offices. Gemma began the reading with a very “Gemma” remark:
“As I am reading from the beginning of the book, if you cannot ‘get’ the context, I’m in real trouble.”
The reading was terrific to the point that Anatoly Gabelko purchased two copies.