SUMMER SEASON
Mosaic Workshops
Led by Nick Musleh, AeJay Antonis Marquis, and Dr. Philippa Kelly
Workshops are included at no extra cost when you buy a subscription to both summer Shakespeare shows: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Tempest.
Led by members of our esteemed Kaleidoscope dramaturgy team—Nick Musleh, AeJay Antonis Marquis, and Dr. Philippa Kelly—these engaging sessions invite you to dive into the heart of each of our summer productions: A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest.
Join us for hands-on activities, discussions, and behind-the-scenes insights, as you uncover the connections between Shakespeare’s timeless stories and the world we live in today. During each session, we will piece together a deeper understanding of how equity and artistic excellence intersect to create transformative theatre, and how these plays speak to our lives and times.
Each dynamic, hour-long workshop takes place at our 514 Fourth Street Theatre in Downtown San Rafael right before a performance of one of our Summer Shakespeare performances at Forest Meadows Amphitheatre.
Workshop dates:
June 14 @ 5:00pm
June 21 @ 5:00pm
June 28 @ 5:00pm
July 5 @ 5:00pm
July @ at 5:00pm
August 16 @ 5:00pm
August 23 @ 5:00pm
August 30 @ 5:00pm
September 6 @ 5:00pm
September 13 @ 5:00pm
Workshops take place Saturdays from 5 – 6 pm at our indoor theater at 514 Fourth Street, San Rafael. Afterward, participants can head to Forest Meadows Amphitheatre, where doors open at 6:30 pm for picnicking before the 7:30 pm performance.
Welcome to the Marin Shakes MOSAIC Dramaturgy Workshops
In our MOSAIC workshops, we invite audiences to explore dramaturgy—what it is, how it enriches your experience as a theatergoer, and how it unlocks fresh perspectives on classic plays. These interactive sessions are designed to spark curiosity and to deepen your engagement with Shakespeare’s worlds.
We’d love you to be part of the conversation—discover hidden layers, debate bold choices, and see Shakespeare in a whole new light!
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A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
Saturday, June 14, 5 pm – 6 pm
The Dramaturgical Toolbox
Dramaturgs shape a production’s storytelling. The term itself comes from the Greek dramatourgós—“playwright,” from drama (to enact) and erg (to work). At its core, dramaturgy is about shaping performance and meaning.
In this workshop, we’ll explore the dramaturg’s role, their responsibilities in rehearsal, and how audiences can apply dramaturgical thinking to every play they see. Participants will begin building their own dramaturgical toolboxes, equipping themselves with techniques to analyze and enhance theatrical storytelling.
Saturday, June 21, 5 pm – 6 pm
Catching the Form and Pressure…
Shakespeare’s language is filled with rhythm, meter and structure – elements that shape meaning. But how do we handle problematic language, difficult references, or moments that feel out of place for a modern audience?
In this workshop, we’ll analyze three key passages, making choices about cuts, adjustments, and emphasis. We’ll explore how Shakespeare’s verse and prose work, identify internal stage directions, and discuss ways to navigate language that may feel outdated or even offensive, while maintaining the play’s artistic integrity.
Saturday, June 28, 5 pm – 6 pm
Living the Dream
“I have had a dream past the wit of man to say what dream it was.” A Midsummer Night’s Dream plays with reality and transformation, challenging the ways we cast, stage, and interpret its characters.
Dramaturgs prepare materials that help actors and creative teams to build their performances. In this workshop, we’ll explore issues such as cross-gender casting, color-conscious casting (what do they mean? How do they work?), and different levels of actor experience. We’ll discuss strategies for supporting productions in making informed, intentional choices that enrich the storytelling.
Saturday, July 5, 5 pm – 6 pm
Dramaturgy and Scenic Design
“…We are such stuff as dreams are made on.” Shakespeare’s worlds are brought to life through design, but how does a dramaturg collaborate with designers to shape those worlds?
In this workshop, we’ll examine how time, setting, and atmosphere influence A Midsummer Night’s Dream. How do we balance the play’s dreamlike nature with a concrete world? We’ll discuss the role of set, props, and lighting in audience immersion, analyzing past productions and brainstorming ways that design can enhance or shift the play’s meaning. Participants will engage in hands-on exercises to bridge textual analysis with visual storytelling.
Saturday, July 12, 5 pm – 6 pm
Dream Logic and the Magic of Midsummer
Why does A Midsummer Night’s Dream feel like a fever dream? How does Shakespeare blur the line between reality and magic, waking and sleeping, control and chaos?
In this final workshop, we’ll analyze the play’s use of magic, transformation, and theatrical illusion. How do characters navigate power, love, and fate when under supernatural influence? We’ll explore the role of Puck, the fairies, and the dream-like structure of the play, asking: What does it mean to wake up? And do the characters truly change by the end?
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THE TEMPEST
Saturday, August 16, 5 pm – 6 pm
Dramaturgy and the World of the Play
Dramaturgs help define the world of a production. Is Prospero a benevolent ruler, a misunderstood virtuoso, or a self-serving tyrant? How do we interpret Caliban’s identity and his relationship to the island? The way we see these characters shapes the entire production.
One of the first tasks of the dramaturg is to collaborate with the director to determine the production’s perspective. In this workshop, Philippa will lead us in examining different interpretations of The Tempest, discuss historical and contemporary views, and consider how our choices impact the audience’s experience.
Saturday, August 23, 5 pm – 6 pm
Catching the Form and Pressure…
Shakespeare’s text is full of clues for actors and directors. Internal stage directions, rhythm, and verse structure open out meaning and intent. What should we cut, adjust, or emphasize to serve our production’s vision?
In this workshop, we’ll dive into three key passages, analyzing their structure and impact. You’ll gain hands-on experience in identifying internal stage directions, preserving Shakespeare’s poetic integrity, and making thoughtful text adjustments while maintaining the play’s dramatic tension.
Saturday, August 30, 5 pm – 6 pm
The Past is Prologue…
The Tempest has one of Shakespeare’s longest backstories. Prospero’s history shapes the play’s conflicts and relationships. How do we present this history to actors in a way that deepens their performances?
We’ll explore how dramaturgs prepare materials to support actors in understanding their characters’ histories and motivations. You’ll learn how to research and present useful insights, from political context to hidden narrative threads that enrich the storytelling process.
Saturday, September 6, 5 pm – 6 pm
Dramaturgy and Scenic Design
Setting and design shape an audience’s experience. The Tempest, written for an indoor theater, invites unique staging possibilities. How does time, location, and atmosphere influence our visual world?
Dramaturgs collaborate with designers to ensure coherence between vision and storytelling. In this workshop, we’ll discuss how set elements, props, and lighting contribute to thematic resonance and audience immersion. Participants will engage in practical exercises that link textual analysis with design choices.
Saturday, September 13, 5 pm – 6 pm
Storms, Magic, Selfhood
The Tempest is filled with magic—not just Prospero’s, but the magic of transformation, justice, and the human heart. How do we interpret justice in a world where law often fails to provide it?
In this workshop, Philippa will lead us as we delve into how The Tempest interrogates justice, forgiveness, and personal transformation. Through interactive discussion and exercises, we’ll analyze Prospero’s journey—does he truly change, or is his mercy another act of control? We’ll also explore Ariel and Caliban’s roles in the power structure of the play, considering how their paths reflect different forms of resistance and agency. Participants will examine key moments of magic in the script, discussing their function both as spectacle and as symbols of inner reckoning. Through this, we’ll ask: What does it mean to be free? And who in The Tempest actually achieves freedom?