Students Spend a Summer in Italy Studying Shakespeare

Gabriella Borrello '20, left, Morgan Martinez '20, right

This summer Gabriella Borrello '20 and Morgan Martinez '20 were chosen for a three-week workshop in Italy studying the works of William Shakespeare. They were participants in the University of Dallas' "Shakespeare in Italy" program, a selective summer workshop where participants spend three weeks reading selections from Shakespeare's sequence of sonnets and three complete plays in detail: Julius Caesar, The Merchant of Venice and The Taming of the Shrew. Through the program they had the opportunity to visit Rome, Venice, and Padua.

Leading up to the workshop, they were both very excited to participate, "I had an interest in Shakespeare and his work before the program, and I was also looking forward to experiencing Italy," Borrello said. Additionally, the workshop allowed the two Frassati Catholic seniors to learn more about the University of Dallas. "Our professors knew so much about the subject matter, and their enthusiasm for Shakespeare was infectious. We had a drama professor accompanying the group, and we would participate in street theater during visits to different locations, acting out scenes from the plays. It really brought the plays to life and helped me appreciate them even more,” said Borrello.

Borrello and Martinez saw similarities between their summer experience through the University of Dallas and their work at Frassati Catholic. “The professors at the University of Dallas are a lot like our faculty at Frassati Catholic,” said Borrello. “They have advanced degrees and they are all passionate about their field of study. The teachers are also really interested in you personally and what you have to say, and in that way it's a lot like studying with the faculty at Frassati Catholic. They want you to do well and they want you to succeed.”

The three-week workshop helped the duo gain insights into the works of the Bard. “I definitely have a deeper understanding of and appreciation for Shakespeare,” said Martinez. “When you just read the plays, sometimes there are footnotes to help you understand context, but being immersed in the plays through study, location, and acting them out brings a new life and understanding.”

Below are some images from their time in Italy.


 



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About Frassati Catholic High School: Founded in 2013, Frassati Catholic High School serves the families and parishes in the north Houston area of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Administered by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation from Nashville, TN, Frassati Catholic High School prepares students to walk on the path of true happiness through a robust college-preparatory curriculum rooted in the Catholic faith. The school currently serves boys and girls in grades 9-12. For more information about Frassati Catholic High School, contact Tim Lienhard, director of communications and marketing, at 832-616-3221.