Shakesperience Summer Institute

What is Shakesperience?

Shakesperience is a one-week, 3-credit course taken during the spring semester in June. During this week, students (as well as students of life), will travel to the renowned Stratford Theatre Festival in Stratford, Ontario to see five plays, participate in workshops and backstage tours, and have discussions with directors, actors, and writers.

Who can participate?

This event is open to undergraduate students from across Canada. We regularly welcome students from The Maple League Schools (Acadia, Bishop’s, Mount Allison, and St. Francis Xavier), the University of Prince Edward Island, and the University of Northern British Columbia. If you are from a different school, please get in touch to discuss our registration process.

Shakesperience is also open to staff, alumni, and faculty from Canadian universities through the Students of Life stream.

What are the dates for this year’s event?

Online course: June 1-28, 2026

Stay in Stratford, ON: June 29 – July 4, 2026

How much does it cost?

Please see our website for details: https://www.bushakesperience.com/classes

Where will we be staying?

Beautiful Bentley Inn located in a historic building in downtown Stratford, close to all shopping restaurants, and a 3 minutes walk to the Avon Theatre.

How will we get there?

We encourage participants to make their way to Stratford on their own, but we will also subsidize group travel for students driving from the B.U. campus (departing June 29 and returning July 4, 2026).

When is the deadline to register?

April 10, 2026

Who will be leading us throughout this experience?

Dr. Jessica Riddell, Professor in the English Department, Bishop’s University, 3M National Teaching Fellow (www.jessicariddell.com).

What plays are included this year?

• Othello
• The Tempest
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• Something Rotten
• Guys and Dolls

What workshops & tours are included this year?

We will participate in three specially designed, immersive workshops:

• More details coming soon!

We will have full access to the Festival with three backstage tours:

• The festival theatre
• The costume warehouses
• Set change and private tour

We will meet with the creative and business teams to understand how the festival operates:

• Meet with directors, actors, costume designers, dramaturges
• Participate in lobby talks, attend the meet the festival events & special guest speakers
• Participate in a post-show chat for ALL three Shakespeare plays

​PLUS enjoy a special luncheon and a final Banquet with an Alumni Reception.

Registration

Deadline to register for Shakesperience of a lifetime is April 10, 2025.

You can browse our website for more information:  https://www.bushakesperience.com

Follow us on Instagram and on Facebook.

Shakesperience was featured in an article by ACCUTE.

Curious? This short video should give you a sense of what the field study course looks like:

Visiting Student Application Process

For more information, please visit bushakesperience.com or contact:

Dr. Jessica Riddell
Stephen A. Jarislowsky Chair of Undergraduate Teaching Excellence
Full Professor, Department of English, Bishop’s University
3M National Teaching Fellow (2015)
Chair, Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC)
jessica.riddell@ubishops.ca

ENG225 Course Description

In both our classroom discussions and during our time in Stratford, we shall focus our discussion on some of the most exciting aspects of Shakespearean drama: the shaping of the private and public self, nation formation, the language of the body and desire, gender politics, and innovations to the English language. The principal objective of this course is to help students gain confidence in reading, understanding, and watching Shakespeare’s plays. Since Shakespeare’s plays are written in a largely unfamiliar idiom and literary form, and because they are the product of specific historical circumstances, the course will give equal emphasis to the development of analytical skills and to acquiring a working knowledge of the social, political, and theatrical aspects of Shakespeare’s plays.